Living Again
by Indiahenna
Summary: Join me in exploring the tale of a girl who comes to Wonderland, a place where life has little value, and learns a little about how to live and how to love. OC; contains silliness, sexiness, and seriousness, not all parts equal.
1. Chapter 1

I'm not doing much else and figured: why not. I'll post this. The first fic I wrote for Heart. Contains an OC who is (hopefully) more well-rounded than most. Enjoy.

Heart no Kuni no Alice is the property of QuinRose.

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1. The Beginning

My life thus far can easily be placed under the category of "average". It's had its ups and downs, moments of sheer panic with ages of utter boredom. I'm not complaining. My life has been good—I've gone through no traumatizing experiences or childhood horrors, my home life is stable, my financial situation good and secure. I'm lucky and I see no conceit in saying that.

Summer vacation is upon me and my parents sent my older brothers and I to our Aunt Angelique's place for two weeks while he and my mother attend business conferences. It's funny to me that we've been sent away: my brothers, twins, are 19, and have come home from their first year at college, and I am 18 and coming onto my freshman year of college.

Don't misunderstand: we aren't being babysat. We are the babysitters. Angelique, darling that she is, can't take of herself so well anymore and needs us to look after her as well as her monster of a house.

Her property is a time capsule; the house, the grounds, the furniture, the smell, all belongs to the 19th century. One could argue that Angelique was born fifty years too late, for she is not a woman of this time. I remember awkward visits when I was younger where she insisted on teaching me proper manners, how to dance ballroom passably and even fencing and horseback riding. I remember enjoying fencing lessons because I was better than both of my brothers, who couldn't stand losing to their little sister. But I digress.

My adventures began when one day my aunt set me to the task of cleaning her never-used library. I walked in, armed with a duster, wood polish and a bandana to cover my mouth and nose. The preparations were worth it. My eyes watered from all the dust and cobwebs I disturbed.

The library wasn't large, but it was comfortable. There was a large window in the corner with a window seat and cushions; old musty curtains hung around it. Opposite the window was a fireplace with a large mirror hanging above, meant to make the space seem bigger. A small clock stood atop the mantle in front of the mirror. Two large, comfy chairs sat in front of the fireplace for wintertime reading. The rest of the room was lined with shelves, packed with books. Odd bric-a-brac littered around, an old globe, a stuffed bird, an ostrich egg. And a small clock above every open space. All the clocks read different times. The only one correct was the one on the mantelpiece.

I had finished dusting and polishing the sparse furniture and had gone to get some window cleaner for the mirror. I had to climb onto a chair to reach and was wiping the glass when the clock beside me struck noon.

My hand slipped through the glass.

I lost my balance and a moment after realizing what had happened everything from the waist up had slipped through. Shocked I tried to back up out of the mirror, but I couldn't budge backwards. However I was allowed to move forward.

The clock had been chiming this whole time. I had a sudden sense of foreboding that something bad would happen if I was still inside the library when the twelfth chime sounded. I pulled the rest of my body through, my foot sliding in as the last chime struck.

I was in darkness for some time, filled with the sensation that I was underwater. Then I blinked and I was through.


	2. Chapter 2

2. Tea Party-crashing

After falling through the looking glass I found myself standing in a forest. I looked around; the library, the house, all signs of familiarity were gone. I pulled down the bandana from my face and let it hang round my throat. Wiping my hands on my jeans I set off, hoping I was headed in the right direction—that being where people were.

I had walked for some time and there were no signs of anyone (or anything) other than trees and underbrush. I was getting more and more anxious by the second. It did not help that suddenly it was late evening and I was alone.

That was when I heard voices up ahead. Relief washed over me. They could have been murderers and I would not have cared—there were people.

I headed towards the voices and stopped just before breaking through the brush. I didn't quite understand what I was seeing.

In front of me was a long table filled with all the trappings for afternoon tea: pot, china cups, cakes and pastries and a few flower vases, filled with red roses. Seated were a girl about my age in a simple blue dress and bow in her brunette hair, a man in white with a top hat atop his raven black hair, two boys the exact image of each other, one in blue, the other in red and…a man with rabbit ears?

The five seemed to be chatting—rather, Rabbit Man and Twins were arguing while Man in White and the girl talked together, the girl blushing with surprising regularity. It was a scene straight out of a fantasy novel and I wasn't sure I wanted to be anywhere near it. I backed away and stepped on a twig, the resulting _SNAP_ surprisingly loud.

The man in white's eyes snapped in my direction and I distinctly heard him say, "Elliot, go check behind the bushes over there."

Rabbit Man stood up and headed towards me, pulling out a gun from nowhere. I was terrified to move, afraid of making a sound.

The brush in front of me parted and I was staring into the barrel of a gun. There is nothing in writing that can prepare a person for that; all my focus shot to the metal hole inches from my face, and I couldn't direct my gaze. My limbs froze, my throat shut, and I struggled to swallow and try to remember how to speak, working my mouth until,

"Please don't shoot me," I begged, my voice barely a whisper.

Rabbit Man looked down at me, slightly confused and called behind him, "Hey, Boss?"

"What is it, Elliot?"

"It's a girl."

"Well, bring her out." The man in white sounded bored. Rabbit Man—Elliot—lowered his gun and held out his hand. I took it hesitantly, following him into the garden.

The other four tea party-goers were staring at me as though I had lobsters growing out of my ears. I did look out of place, I noticed self-consciously, in my dirty clothes and dried sweat amongst these prim and polished people. The man in white stood and moved to our side of the table, the girl and twins scrambling after. Elliot let me go, standing off to the side, waiting for his boss' next command and eying me curiously.

"Who are you, miss?" the man in white asked politely, a pleasant smile on his face.

I had to swallow a few times before answering, "Dakota."

"What, Miss Dakota, were you doing sneaking around on my property?" I detected a slightly menacing undertone in his voice.

"I didn't know. I'm sorry, I'm a little lost."

The man in white considered me a moment, green eyes fixed on mine. At last he asked, "Where were you last?"

"My aunt's house. I was cleaning…" I hesitated and then decided I didn't care if these people thought I was a lunatic. They might shoot me regardless. "I was cleaning the mirror in her library and then I just fell through. I ended up in a forest and found my way here."

Silence followed my brief story, and everyone was staring at me. The man in white finally spoke, the look on his face odd though his voice was certain. "You're a foreigner too."

The twin boys looked up at him and said, "You sure, Boss?"

The man in white nodded.

"Same rules as Alice?"

The man in white nodded.

Suddenly the boys jumped up in glee and cried out, "Another onee-san to play with!"

"Huh…?" The boys grabbed my hands and the one in red said, "I'm Dum!" and the one in blue said, "I'm Dee!" Together: "Can you be our onee-san?"

I had never heard the term. "Your what?"

"Big sister," the girl replied and held out a hand. I freed my hand from the red one—Dum, I think he said his name was—and shook.

"I'm Alice Liddell."

"Nice to meet you."

"I'm Elliot March," Rabbit Man said from beside me, and I turned back to see he smile shyly. Tentatively I smiled back, deciding it was a good response. It didn't seem like he was going to shoot me now, though I couldn't be help but be a bit wary at him.

The man in white took my free hand and lifted it to his mouth, his lips brushing my knuckles briefly. "Blood Dupre. Pleased to meet you, little miss. I'm sorry about the misunderstanding. I'm sure you understand."

I didn't. "Sure," I said, working my mouth into a smile to appease him. What century was this? Dupre released my hand. Slightly overwhelmed I cleared my throat and said, "Where am I?"

"I'll explain over tea," Dupre replied and led me to a chair across from him, beside Elliot, whose gun had disappeared. As Blood explained the Mansion and then Wonderland I watched everyone. Alice sipped her tea but didn't touch the food, occasionally chiding the boys; Elliot March consumed the pastries, all oddly orange, like a convicted man being served his final meal, and the boys ignored the tea settings altogether, preferring to play at the table and making a mess, ignoring Alice's admonitions.

"So, recap. You are a Mafia leader, in dispute with the Castle of Hearts and an Amusement Park. All of you except Alice are people called Role-Holders and your purpose is to play this 'game'. There's one neutral place called the Clock Tower where Alice lives."

"Correct. Which reminds me...check your pockets."

With a slight frown I did and pulled out a small pink vial, filled with liquid.

"Drink it."

I stared at the vial. "Why?"

"To stay in Wonderland and play the game. If you wish, of course. The choice is up to you."

I looked over at Alice. "Does anything bad happen?"

Alice seemed to consider that answer far longer than necessary. "It's safe to drink."

_So bad things happen? _But Alice had drunk it too, and she seemed fine. _Still..._

Alice seemed to notice my hesitation and said with a reassuring smile, "It's alright. Wonderland has its dangers, fine, but it's really a great place. You'll like it here, Dakota. I'm sure."

Dubiously I popped off the top of the vial and drank. When it was empty, I didn't feel any different. Maybe it had nothing to do with the liquid itself, then.

Alice explained then why I should keep the vial with me. By this time midnight had come and gone and I was exhausted. Blood had Elliot take me to a guestroom and I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

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A/N: I'm fairly sure the vial just doesn't "pop up" conveniently like that. But the story progresses easier this way.


	3. Chapter 3

3. Day One of Wonderland

When I woke up I expected to be waking from a nap in the library, and to eat lunch from what was left of my brothers' rampage of the food supply. Instead I awoke in a very nice bedroom, morning sunlight streaming through gossamer curtains, having slept in my clothes and quickly realizing that yesterday had really happened.

There was a knock at the door. A maid came in and told me breakfast was almost ready and held out some clothes for me to change into, and asked for mine so they could be laundered. I just stared.

The woman had no face. Nothing but a mouth, curved upwards in a polite smile...but that was hard to tell without eyes, so I had to take some hopeful license there.

If she was bothered by my staring, she didn't make it obvious. She left the clothes on the bureau by the door, told me to leave my things in the room when I was done changing, curtsied slightly, and left, shutting the door with a soft click behind her.

_The tea must have been spiked_, I thought as I stood, stretched and changed. I had been given a navy blue dress with a scoop neck, sleeves that ended at my elbows and hem that stopped just below my knees. It came with striped navy and light blue stockings and boots that ended above my ankle and were slightly heeled. It was a pretty outfit and I felt like a thief. This was far too generous. Then and there I decided that as soon as my clothes were done I would return the dress.

I forwent the stockings; they were thick and itchy, and I had socks that were passable, even though the idea was a bit repulsive. I folded my things and sett them on the bureau, looking around for a hair brush, which was set at a small table with a ceramic basin and pitcher, filled with water. Wash clothes, freshly pressed, sat by the basin and I took a moment to wash my face and swished water around my mouth. My hair was a bit greasy but not dire and I didn't have the patience this morning to wait for it to dry, so I put it into a ponytail and left the room.

Dupre's mansion reminded me of Aunt Angelique's place, with the same dark paneling in the halls and wallpaper in the rooms. Lush hall rugs was laid over creaking wooden floors and the house smelled faintly of cedar and flowers. I found the kitchen easily, located in the back of the house much like my aunt's place. The room was finishing its post morning-duties, a few members of staff, also faceless, performing their assigned duties. Standing beside the chef was Elliot March.

"I am NOT cooking carrot cake for breakfast."

"Aww, why not?"

"Because the meal's already been prepared and the staff is prepping for lunch. Besides, it's just wrong."

"What if I told you Blood ordered it?"

The chef laughed. "You're the only one obsessed with carrots, Mr. March."

Elliot sighed heavily and said, "Let's get this straight: I don't like carrots, I like carrot _dishes_. There's a difference."

The chef chuckled. "Whatever you say, Mr. March." He turned back around, consulting a list and walking away to attend his staff.

Elliot sighed, exasperated. "Why does no one believe me?!"

"Cause you're a rabbit," I said plainly.

"I am NOT a RABBIT!" he cried out, his ears shooting up in his chagrin. I laughed. He turned and saw me standing in the doorway and said, "Oh hey, Dakota." He paused, looking me over. For some odd reason a light blush colored his cheeks. "You look nice," he said quietly.

I smiled at the compliment. It seemed the tension from yesterday was forgotten, at least by him, so I decided to let it go too. If this made my experience here even a little easier, I'd let bygones go. "Morning, Elliot. Where can I get breakfast?"

"In the garden. I'll take you."

"Thanks, that'd be great."

I stepped back into the hall and let Elliot lead the way, pushing up my sleeves to the elbows as we walked.

"So how do you like it here?" he asked.

"So far? It's fine. Thank you for the dress, by the way, that was kind."

Elliot shrugged. "It was Blood's idea."

"Oh." We walked on in silence a moment before I asked, "So what do you do? For a living, I mean."

Elliot's ears twitched as he thought. They were close to the same color as his hair-a light reddish brown. "Different things. Mostly whatever Blood tells me. I'm second in command, you know," he added, puffing up just a bit. "It's a big responsibility."

Different things. That wasn't vague; though, if what they had told me last night was true, and they were mobsters, I could pretty much guess what "different things" might mean. I held back and asked instead, "So how did you two meet?"

Elliot's right ear drooped. The only reason I noticed was, well, how often do you meet a guy with real rabbit ears on his head? It's a bit distracting, you know. He didn't answer immediately, and so we turned a corner and he began, "He-"

That was when Blood Dupre appeared, and the three of us came to a stop halfway down the hall. "Elliot, Miss Dakota," he acknowledged, smiling briefly at me (and the dress, I noted) before turning back to Elliot, his expression coming back to business. "You have paperwork to do."

His ears drooped horizontal. "I was taking Dakota to breakfast."

"I'll accompany her instead." His tone, while polite, allowed no argument.

If Elliot didn't like it, he didn't say anything more, except, "Yes, Blood." Turning he quirked his lip up in an apologetic smile and said, "Sorry, Dakota."

"Another time," I replied, and waved goodbye as Elliot walked back the way we'd come. I'd have to wait for my answer later. I turned and saw Blood staring at me expectantly. I cleared my throat and said, "Breakfast?"

He smiled pleasantly and said, "This way."

We ate in silence in the garden. I finished must faster than Blood (I'd been hungrier than I thought) but had a feeling that he would not like being left alone at the table. So instead I studied the garden, well tended and fitted with shrubs, ponds, and the occasional flower patch, and then eventually my gaze drew back to Blood.

There was no denying it; he was gorgeous. His ebony hair was long and ended in choppy layers framing his face, falling like silk to just past his shoulders. He had stunning green eyes and his pale skin only enhanced his features. When standing he was tall and clearly fit, and when sitting he gave off the never-ending impression of gracious host. Gentlemanly, calm, and in complete control of his surroundings.

But the fact that he was a mafioso never left my mind and he gave off one distinct impression: one did not mess with Blood Dupre.

"Do I have something on my face?"

"Hmm?" I replied, waking from my thoughts.

"You were staring."

"Oh." I glanced down in embarrassment, covering a part of my face with my hand. "Sorry. I didn't realize."

"It's quite alright." The way he stared at me then was very disorienting.

I played with the hem of the skirt and took a breath to calm down. "Thank you for the dress. It's lovely."

"You are welcome."

"Do you need me to do anything? I mean, this is far too generous, letting me stay the night, letting me borrow the dress... I don't have any money, but I could work or something."

An evil gleam came into his eyes then and he said, "You're absolutely right. But save that for another time, shall we?"

Frowning, I was about to ask what he meant exactly when I was glomped on both sides by two small figures with axes.

"Dakota-onee-san!" I struggled to my feet but the twins stayed latched onto me. "Play with us!"

"Oi! You two have guard duty!" an angry voice called from behind and I twisted my head around to see Elliot glaring at the twins, ears planted low in irritation.

"Shut up newbie-hare!"

Standing I noted that the twins were my same height. This was depressing; I had to be six years their senior. Curse my short genes.

"Come with us to the Amusement Park!" Dee said into my ear.

"It'll be fun!" Dum chimed in.

"I thought the Mafia and the Amusement Park were fighting?"

"Yeah, but Boris is cool," Dee said. Dum added, "We really want to play with you, since Alice-onee-san won't!"

"Oh, I'm the last resort, am I?" I said sarcastically. However the boys didn't take that too well.

"No! Dakota-onee-san we love you too!"

"Wha…?" Alright-y then. Whatever. Kids. "Okay. Thanks," I replied, feeling very awkward at this point. I'd have to curb the sarcasm around them, I suppose. They squeezed harder.

"Does Dakota-onee-san love us too?"

"Huh?" I stared over at them, not sure where that had come from.

"Come on guys, go back to work," Elliot snapped and was rewarded with, "Shut up, newbie-hare!" They turned back to me.

"Dakota-onee-san?"

_I met you guys less than a day ago, what the hell do you think?_ But they were looking up at me depressingly, their eyes glistening and wide, and their bottom lips twitching slightly in impressive pouts.

Somehow, this seemed awfully rehearsed.

"Well, I like you guys well enough—"

"—But do you love us?"

I looked over at Elliot and Blood, searching for help, but Elliot was still upset the boys were ignoring him and Blood sipped his morning tea and smiled like he was enjoying the show.

I gave up and resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Yeah, I love you guys too."

"Yay!" and the hugged me even tighter. "Now we can play at the Amusement Park!"

Yes, yes...though, admittedly, I was curious. A whole territory devoted to a theme park; how bad could that be? And I hadn't been to a park in years, not since I started high school. "Hey guys?"

"Yes, onee-san?"

"Can you let me go now?"

Their reply to this was to hug me even tighter. My lungs were beginning to cave under the pressure.

"Boys," I said, purposefully sweet, "if you don't let me go I'm not going to the Amusement Park with you."

"So you'll go with us if we let go?" Dee replied.

"Promise?" added Dum.

Those little manipulative... I sighed, not really upset. "I promise."

They released me, grabbed my hands instead and pulled me away before we could waste another moment in Blood's garden, Elliot yelling behind them, boys laughing, and soon the hedges disappeared as we ran through a forest road, the Mansion gone from sight.


	4. Chapter 4

Didn't mean to drag out the wait (life, gotta love it), but here's the next chapter. Enjoy.

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4. Amuse Me

I tried to remember the way back to the mansion as the twins dragged me at breakneck speed to the park. I saw it before we got there and when we passed under the gate I gaped in astonishment. In the fall my hometown held a fair with rides and carnival games and all that fairs involved-greasy food, long lines, laughter, cheap toys and trash everywhere while people walked around in jackets and unsupervised teens smoked while parents took pictures of their smiling toddlers. It didn't begin to compare to the place before me. Roller coasters rose two stories in the air and swinging rides flew right over our heads, close enough to feel the rush of air on my face. The smells of fried foods assaulted me and my stomach rumbled in anticipation. As I took in the view I saw other Wonderlanders enjoying the park, doing much of the same things people at home did. The only remarkable difference was that not one had a face.

"Boris!" two voices cried out and I glanced over to see the most ridiculous person I'd ever laid my eyes on.

A boy around my age and some inches taller stood before our little group. He was dressed in pink and black punk gear, his midriff exposed with small triangles tattooed around his belly button, chains falling around him. He had pink-purple hair, pierced cat ears and a large, striped pink-purple boa. Despite the weirdness, he was really cute and waved at the twins with a wide, toothy grin.

"Who's this?" Boris asked as I approached, leaning forward to peer at me curiously.

"Dakota-onee-chan. She's a foreigner like Alice-onee-chan!"

"Hi, I'm Boris Airay." His grin was infectious and I grinned back.

"Nice to meet you. You can just call me Dakota. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

Motioning to the ears on top of his head, "Are those real?"

He grinned, and the one on the left twitched. "Feel for yourself." He bent his head forward for easier access.

Carefully I reached up and pet his ears, hoping I wasn't hurting him. He began to purr softly (right, he's a cat, got it) and I felt a sudden urge to keep petting him like my own cat at home. I resisted and pulled my hand away. He grinned at the expression on my face and winked, like we had just shared a private joke.

"So," asked Boris, straightening up and facing the whole group, "what do you want to do first?"

After several roller coasters and ground level rides I was hungry and we stopped for lunch. We were enjoying giant pretzels when a man in a horrible shade of mustard yellow approached us.

"Hey Gowland," Boris said. I looked closer at the man. He was older, perhaps thirties, with long brown hair braided down his back and scruff around his chin. His coat was decorated with music notes and had a belt with carrousel horses.

"Who's this young lady?" he said brightly.

"Dakota," I said, holding out a hand. We shook and he said, "The name's Gowland and I run this Amusement Park. Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Yes, it's very fun."

"That's wonderful, wonderful. I hope you're having a good time, making lots of great memories? We don't get too many foreigners, you're the first since Alice showed up... That's it! I know how to make the trip even better!" he said, whipping out a violin that looked a little too small for him.

"No!" screamed Boris and the twins, and near passerby turned and ran away. Alarmed I stared at them and then back to Gowland, who was positioning the bow over the strings. "Huh?"

And then he began to play. A chorus of tortured kittens would have been more harmonious. My hands clamped over my ears didn't do much to block it, but I was stuck in place by the fact that I was the only audience Gowland had-everyone else had fled the area, and people coming towards us turned tail the second they heard the show. When the traumatic experience was over he smiled brightly and asked, "What'd you think?"

Searching for a way to describe it, I finally replied, "It was unique. All your own." Gowland was practically sparkling.

Literally, I could see stars twinkling around his head. Weird. "Finally! Someone who appreciates music!"

"Well, we should be going!" Boris exclaimed, reappearing from nowhere, grabbing my arm and high-tailing it out of there dragging me til I felt my feet would leave the ground.

When we were out of earshot: "Don't encourage him."

"Where'd he get the idea that he could play?" I asked, glancing around in case Gowland'd followed us. He hadn't.

Boris just shook his head.

Ready to forget _that_ thoroughly scarring experience, I asked, "So where does Alice stay in Wonderland?"

"In the Clock Tower. Are you going to go there?"

"Yeah, I want to ask her a few things."

Boris pouted a moment. "Ah, we just started having fun too..."

I laughed. The cat grinned widely at that, flashing teeth, and for whatever reason that didn't bother me as much as it might should have. Boris was too fun to worry me much.

Boris gave me directions and convinced the twins to leave me alone (meaning, he distracted them by telling them about a new ride and they ran off without us). Boris walked me to the gated entrance. "I'd take you myself, but someone's got to keep an eye on the twin terrors. Come by anytime, okay? Everyone's welcome and the park changes pretty regularly, so there's always something fun."

I grinned. "I will."

Adding in quieter, more serious tones, "Be careful out there. Get to the Tower as quick as you can, okay?"

I nodded, not letting Boris see how that bit of advice bothered me, before telling him goodbye and heading out.

So far, things seemed okay. I wasn't anywhere close to waking up, so the nudging hope that all this was a trippy dream had faded a while ago. The sounds of the park soon faded and I was left with the sounds of the forest instead: crunching leaves underfoot, wind stirring through branches, birdsong. It was peaceful, it was a nice day, it gave me time to gather my thoughts.

This was Wonderland, but that told me almost nothing. And really, what did Boris mean by 'be careful'? The way he'd said it made it sound like more than a friendly word of care-like this world really wasn't so safe. And if the conflict between the territories was really so bad, just what I had fallen into? For that matter, how did I get here and more importantly, _why_? This and other things were the questions I hoped Alice would help me with. She was a foreigner too, she had to have some perspective I might understand. She would know.

At least I hoped so.

I came across a fork in the road. Trying to remember which way Boris had said, I heard a loud rustling in the bushes beside me and a brunet man in a bright red coat appeared out of the brush, looking slightly confused and some leaves caught in his hair. We stared at each other for some moments before the man broke into a huge smile and said, "Do you know how to get to the Clock Tower?"

"I'm looking for it myself," I replied carefully.

"Perfect! We can look together. I'm Ace, by the way." I saw the sword at his side, and decided not to bring it up. "I've never seen you before."

"Dakota. You have some..." I motioned at his head, and he swatted at it.

"Better?"

"Yeah."

Still smiling, he looked me over a moment before saying, "Are you a foreigner too?"

"I am. How'd you know?"

"Just a feeling. Let's try this way, I just remembered a short cut." Following him (he's a local, he can't be too lost) we took the left fork in the road.

After an hour or so of walking in circles (I _know_ we passed that same tree three times) night fell suddenly and we stopped at a clearing.

"Oh well," Ace said cheerfully, "I guess we have to camp out." Out of nowhere he pulled out a tent and began setting up. I began seriously deliberating whether to risk walking at night versus camping out with this stranger. In the end reason won out and I asked if I could help with anything. He declined with a smile. Come to think of it, he never stopped smiling. It was a bit creepy.

When he finished I crouched inside, only to see there was one sleeping bag. "You wouldn't have a spare, would you?" I asked.

"Nope," he replied point blank, that smile plastered on his face. "Guess we have to share."

"No," I said straight out. "Absolutely not." I could spend a night without a blanket.

The brunet's smile never wavered. Suddenly he pushed me down and removed his jacket, then his sword.

"Hey, what are you doing?!" _Shit, have to get the hell out of here..._

He lay down on top of me, his head resting above my heart, arms in a vice-like grip around me.

"You _are_ a foreigner," he breathed quietly. I looked down at him, and the fake smile was gone, replaced by a softer, gentler look instead. "Like Alice," he murmured softly, "but not like Alice."

_I swear, the more I hear about this girl…_

"Ace? What are you doing?" I asked quietly. Distracting him felt like a good start. Yeah, let him get his guard down...

"Listening to your heart."

Frowning, I leaned as much as possible to peer down at him. "Why?"

Ace slowly sat up, bringing me with him. He took my hand and pressed it over his chest. Silence fell in the tent. I noticed two things: Ace's chest was toned, hard; and that his heartbeat was wrong. It felt like…ticking. Without fully realizing that I was doing so I bent forward and pressed my ear to his chest…and heard _tick, tock, tick_.

I bolted up. "Your heart..." The hell?

"Wonderlanders have clocks instead." He reached up and the palm of his hand rested above my heart. "This sound is unique to Wonderlanders. Like your heart is unique to you." He leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine, his hand sliding down to brush over my chest, sliding down my waist ever slowly, dragging along my thigh to the hem of my dress, sending shivers up my spine and goosebumps along my skin. When his hand began to slide up the inside of the dress I broke away and backed from him, senses returning at last. For the fastest of moments he looked surprised, but then the fake smile was back and he said, "Just kidding."

Still flustered, I resisted the urge to slap him and simply spat through gritted teeth, "Goodbye." I was angry at myself as much as him; the shock of being kissed so suddenly had thrown me, and as I tried to leave he gripped my wrist and held me inside the tent.

"Why?" he said innocently. "We were getting along so well."

"I'll take my chances outside. Let go."

"No," he smiled.

Aggravated I began to push him and move toward the tent's opening but Ace laughed, not budging. I pushed him harder and he fell over, his grip on my wrist and my momentum taking me with him. I was now straddled over him, my arms on either side of his shoulders, our faces nearly touching.

"I've never been on bottom before," Ace commented, a 'come hither' look in his eyes.

I scrambled up and retreated to the other side of the tent, my face burning with embarrassment. Ace started laughing.

"Jerk," I said. I glanced at the entrance. It was right there...

He stopped and replied, "Alright, I'll stop. Truce?"

I turned a little. "Fine. Swear?"

I got that smile in return. I sighed—it was probably the best I was going to get right now. "I'm going to sleep. Don't try anything."

I lay down and immediately Ace's ears were to my chest, listening to my heart's beat, arms already circling round me. I sighed. "Don't do anything else." He chuckled in response.

"Night, Dakota."

"Night, Ace."

I waited until he was asleep before getting up to leave, leaving the tent silently and only looking back long enough to see that Ace didn't stir in his sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

5. On the Roads Less Traveled

I walked on, the embers of the fire from the campsite soon lost as I made my way down the path. A chill breeze blew through the trees, rustling the branches ominously. It was cloudy tonight, blocking the stars and the thin sliver of the moon. Consequently the forest was pitch-black; my steps slowed until I was feeling my way along the path, not knowing whether a root or pothole would trip me and realize a broken ankle. I hoped my eyes would adjust, but even that wouldn't do me much good.

So I wandered slowly and as I walked I stopped jumping at small noises, and listened instead to the world, blindly feeling my way forward into the woods.

_You're an idiot,_ I thought, and the nagging voice told me to go back to the tent. I could handle Ace; I could make it through the night now that he was asleep and the danger had passed.

I squashed that thought away. I was gone and in the woods, I couldn't find the tent again even if I turned back now (surely the fire would be out) and I had no desire to see the swordsman any time soon. No, I'd started down this way, I'd follow it to the end or to morning, whichever came first.

That was fine until I started hearing the voices.

At first I thought they were my own thoughts, and I was so aware of being alone that I thought I could actually hear them as spoken words.

_Follow the way here…_

I crawled forward, reaching out as I stumbled over a root, steadying myself and rubbing my arms. The wind cut through my thin dress and I shivered, wishing for a jacket or a fire.

_This way._

I trekked down the way, shivering and tired and ready to find the Clock Tower.

_Down this rabbit hole, Dakota. Come._

I froze. Something had caressed my arm, so light that for a brief, hopeful moment, I thought I'd imagined it. I turned round on the spot, hoping to see past the black, not seeing a thing—

A flutter of fingertips brushed on my hand and I jumped back, my foot catching on a dip in the road and I tripped, dropping my hands to catch myself. With a jump I was back on my feet, crouched, hands out in a defensive angle before my chest, eyes darting, hoping to see _something_. There had to be, I wasn't crazy.

And then they were there.

Cold hands clasped onto my arms and legs, one wrapping round my front and waist, pressing coldness to my back. _Here, here she is. A body. A home._

I screamed.

The cold things pressed on me, and I screamed and screamed and struggled, pulling away from the arms, flailing my legs, kicking, and as a hand came over my mouth to quell my screams, I bit it. I didn't hear the things cry out in pain or frustration as I just _felt_ it—anger and pain and even a twinge of fear from all around me, causing the hairs on my body to stand up and my throat to squeeze. Still I screamed and finally I got some purchase, slipping like an eel through any openings I could get until the last of the coldness left my skin and I _ran._

I tripped several times, rolling back to my feet with the momentum of one fall and ran blind—I couldn't see where the hell I was going and was lucky not to run into—

WHAM.

My head connected to wood and I fell back, my back hitting hard on the ground, protruding roots and rocks sharply sticking into my back. I groaned, rubbing my head, blinking the stars and bright spots from my eyes. I had to shut my eyes, my head swimming in pain; even in darkness the spinning was disorienting, and I rubbed at my temples, my mouth hanging open as my lungs tried to catch up with my breath, my legs burning. I inhale one deep breath after another, trying to get my bearings, and felt around in front of me to feel the rough bark of a tree trunk. Pulling myself up by the trunk, it took me a moment after steadying my feet and letting my head steady itself to realize that the wood had smoothed out and I felt the distinct coldness of metal under my left hand.

I rubbed my hand along the appendage and realized I was gripping a hinge. Finding the edge I ran my hand along the edge and the front of what I soon realized was a door.

"I've found the Keebler elves' house," I muttered, and then snorted with laughter. Laughing, I leaned forward until my forehead rested against the door frame. My heart and head were pounding, but I had caught my breath. Straightening up I felt the door.

From it I could hear whispers.

These weren't the same as those things before; these voices were comforting, sweet—seductive. They weren't definite, I head no words per se. They promised comfort and peace and asked oh-very-kindly for me to step through. To open the way.

I wanted this; I was tired, I was scared. My laughter had died away and all I wanted was to sleep.

To be safe.

I reached for the door handle and turned, swung the door wide and stepped through.

Whiteness.

Blinding, opaque, omnipresent white. So bright that after the darkness of the forest I shut my eyes against it, only to have the lids glow red. I covered my eyes, then slowly peeked through them until the light didn't hurt as much. Still, I squinted in discomfort.

I took a step back, and then the whiteness warped.

I saw shadows suddenly solidifying, darkening from the lightest of grays into black until a line of steps fell before me, going down, down, and then as I watched more and more shadows solidified until I was surrounded by staircases of shadow and white.

I was so tired, my head pounded anew with the assault of brightness, but I stepped down the first, and then the next, until I was steadily descending. I looked up briefly and saw the steps fading to white—there was no turning back. So I turned around and didn't turn around again.

The steps around me seemed to move; perhaps I imagined it. I faltered once or twice but never fell off the edge—if there was one at all. As I walked on and on down the steps, it ceased to matter.

It was so quiet here. Even my footfalls made no sounds and my breaths seemed muted. I tried to speak and found my voice dry and hoarse. So I walked and hoped the end was coming.

Then the door appeared. Like the steps, it came from shadows that hadn't been there, solidifying to a simple rectangular frame and a wooden knob. Reaching forward, I grasped and turned the handle, stepping through.

It was morning. There was a faint smell of coffee brewing in the air, and it was warm. I stepped more slowly, looking behind me to see the whiteness—and saw a hallway instead.

"Excuse me."

I started and snapped to face forward, and saw a man sit at a workbench a few feet away, hands holding a screwdriver and watch resting on the table as he stared at me critically.

"Oh," was all I could say.

"Who are you and why are you coming in my home without my permission?"

I glanced back behind me, confirming that the hallway had replaced the white room.

"Answer my question or I shall have you thrown out."

I shut the door behind me, stepping fully inside, and said to the man, "Honestly, I don't know how I got here either."

We had a small staring contest, him and I, brown into dark blue. His eyes matched his hair, also (strangely enough) dark blue, and tied back in a ponytail. His expression was severe, made more so by a pair of glasses resting low on his nose. He must have believed me after a minute because then he just sighed and said, "Well, let's start with who you are."

"Dakota."

"No last name?"

"Dakota Cooper."

"I am Julius Monrey."

I nodded and then said, "Nice to meet you," even though I didn't entirely mean it and I was almost too tired to care. After going through strange portals through time and space, I think I had a right to being tired. "Um. Where am I?"

"The Clock Tower."

Oh. Well, I'd been trying to find the Tower. Lucky me, I suppose.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I was looking for Alice." It was the first thing that came out of my mouth, even though it had been far from my mind for the last several hours.

Apparently it was the right thing to say, for his eyebrows rose in surprise and the severity of his glare lessened considerably. "You're here for Alice? You…oh. You must be the new foreigner." Rising, Julius set his tools down and walked round the work table. I watched him disappear into a door on the side, amazed at the length of his hair as it swayed. He disappeared behind the door.

I rubbed my face and slumped against the door. Opening my eyes I looked around the room, taking in the tools, parts, metal pieces, pliers, shears, metal cutters. There was a set of windows for natural light and the work bench had a lamp set on top and to the side. Papers were set neatly to the side and a bookshelf was placed in one corner of the room, full. I walked over to see instruction manuals along with fiction, histories, and even a set of children's books.

The door clicked open and I turned.

"Dakota?"

I smiled at Alice, relieved to see a friendly face.


	6. Chapter 6

6. To the Castle

A cup of tea and small breakfast later, I was feeling somewhat normal again. I'd told the story of Ace's antics and my unusual journey to Alice and a silently attentive Julius, and then afterward waited to hear what they would say while I ate. They didn't speak for a while; Alice looked concerned, especially when I'd told them about Ace, and Julius' frown deepened the longer the story went on.

The two glanced at each other again, the fourth time that minute, and I set down my cup and said plainly, "Do you know what those doors were about?"

Julius answered me, though it seemed reluctant. "You were in the Forest of Doors, a strange country that shouldn't be here right now. You took a dangerous risk going through; normally people who are caught in the forest never get out again."

I gripped my cup in surprise, but couldn't hide the fact that my stomach was squirming at the seriousness in his voice. "…I…I didn't know."

"Of course you didn't," Alice said comfortingly, reaching out and taking my hand, offering a small smile. "You're still new."

That didn't comfort me the way Alice meant it to, but I said nothing, looking back to Julius. "What about those…things…that chased me? What were _those_?"

Julius looked rather uncomfortable about that, but was saved from answering when the doorknob turned suddenly and the workroom door opened with a crash.

"Honey, I'm home~!"

I stiffened at the sound of Ace's voice, but turned around anyway, knowing that I had to or it would look weird. Alice watched me, eyeballs swinging from me to Ace as if watching a tennis match. Her grip on my hand tightened, and I squeezed back.

Julius glared over at Ace. "You're late."

"Aww, you missed me?"

"Hardly," Julius replied, the coolness in his voice palpable. That's when Ace noticed me.

"Dakota! There you are! I was worried when I woke up this morning and you were gone! I looked all over, but couldn't find you anywhere!"

"I left early this morning," I lied quietly. "You wouldn't wake up, so I went on my own."

He tsked cheerily at me, not noticing the tension in the room. "You shouldn't do that. And we were getting along so well too."

Alice opened her mouth to say something; I glanced sharply at her, shaking my head. She frowned, questioning me, but I said quietly to her, "I have to do this on my own."

Ace glanced at me and Alice, grin still in place, before he turned to Julius and said, "So, what have you got for me, boss?"

"Same as usual. There's trouble west of here, over by the Amusement Park."

A savage gleam came to Ace's eye then, sending shivers up my spine. "Got it," he replied, his hand reaching to rest on the pommel of his sword, gripping it tightly. He looked over at Alice and me then, and the frightening part of his smile lessened until it was just the normal Ace grin. "Well, I wish I could stay," he said to us. "Alice, we should hang out more. You too, Dakota, you seem like a fun girl." He sighed regretfully and shrugged. "Next time, I guess."

Footsteps from behind Ace sounded louder and louder, thumping in a furious rhythm until a pair of white ears popped into the doorframe and the irate face to go with them saying dryly to Ace, "And where have you been, you lazy knight?"

"Oh, hi Peter," Ace said, his voice far too exuberant to be anything other than mocking.

"Don't 'hi Peter' me," the rabbit man (another one!) grumbled irritably, stepping fully into the room and around Ace, glaring at him and glancing around until his eyes fell on Alice.

Then it was as if a completely different person was standing in his shoes. His whole face morphed, a happy glow exuding from him as his cheeks pinked in a blush, his eyes widening in glee and a smile spreading across his face. He spread his arms wide and cried, "Alice! My darling!"

I didn't dodge in time before being bulldozed by the white rabbit as he zoomed toward Alice, who shoved her arms in front of her, pushing the man away with all her might. Her feet slid a few inches back, and Julius came around the bench and helped me to my feet. I thanked him softly, staring at the scene before me.

"I'm not your darling, Peter, and you're being very rude."

"But, Alice, I haven't seen you in so long!"

Alice was having none of it and snapped, "Peter, stop this. You're embarrassing yourself."

"Why should I be embarrassed about expressing our love?!" he cried out, and I raised an eyebrow as the fully grown man(?) had tears collect in his eyes.

"There is no 'our', 'we', or anything at all that puts you and me together! Peter, get off! Or I'll never speak to you again!"

Reluctantly, the white rabbit backed off, though his ears drooped and he seemed to hunch over, deflated from Alice's blunt rejection. For the briefest moment I felt sorry for the guy. Then I glanced over at Alice's peeved expression as she crossed her arms and glared at him.

"Besides, you just ran over my friend here and I'm sure she doesn't appreciate it."

Peter glanced around, catching my eye and sniffling. "Who're you?" he asked, his voice dry and not at all welcoming.

"Dakota Cooper," I replied. "And you are?"

He wiped his noise and straightened up, brushing his suit of wrinkles. "Peter White."

"It's…er, nice to me you," I said, though I didn't mean it. He didn't seem to care one way or the other, but after receiving a glare from Alice asked, "So where are you from…er…"

"Dakota."

"Yes, Dakota."

"I'm a foreigner," I replied, figuring that was easiest. Finally Peter showed some interest. One of his ears perked up, just slightly, and he regarded me a moment.

"How did you come here?"

"Through a mirror. I showed up around, um, the Hatter Mansion, I think it was."

"Really? And are you also playing the game?"

I glanced at him, trying to remember all the information from the past few days, and then nodded. "Yes, I am."

"Interesting," he said, and it seemed that he somewhat meant it.

"Why are you here, Dakota?" Alice asked then, and Julius and the others glanced at me then too.

"I had some questions for you," I told Alice, holding her gaze in an attempt to let the group know that my questions were private and none of their business. Alice seemed to get it, maybe Julius—Ace and Peter were totally oblivious.

"But I want to spend time with Alice! I never get to," Peter pouted, and I stared at him, not sure what to say to him. It's somehow hard to argue with a grown man who insists on behaving like a spoiled five-year-old—and well, maybe I was being harsh, I had just met the guy.

Then again there wasn't much to endure him to me and Alice's reaction _was _pretty telling.

"Sure," she replied, ignoring Peter altogether. "My room's this way—"

A knock sounded at the door and we all looked over to see a…oh. A faceless soldier with the number 9 printed on his uniform. Huh.

"Sir," he said, bowing to Peter and briefly to Ace, "The Queen requests you to return to the Castle as soon as you're able."

"Tell the Queen I have a prior appointment," Peter snapped, his voice ice.

The soldier visibly gulped. "Uh…sir…she said…um…"

"Spit it out already."

"Sir—she said that if you tried to "weasel your way out of work"—her words, sir, I swear, that she would behead you."

Peter sighed, clearly aggravated. "Fine." He turned back to Alice and said, all sweet affection again, "You must visit me in the Castle soon! Promise me, sweet Alice!"

Alice sighed and then turned to me, an idea clearly springing to her mind, and said, "You haven't seen the Heart Castle yet, have you?"

I shook my head.

"Alright! Then, let's go!"

"Yay!" Peter cried out, making to hug Alice. She allowed it, briefly, before shrugging him off (not without effort) and saying crisply to him, "For Dakota's sake, I'm coming. But you can't slack off work; I don't like lazy men."

Peter was only a little put-down by her words; he was practically bouncing in glee.

(Right, a rabbit, got it.)

Alice hooked her arm through mine, offered a bright smile and said, "Up to a little walk?"

I couldn't help but smile back. Maybe I'd been too quick to judge Alice earlier, from what little I knew about her.

The five of us—Soldier Number 9, Ace, Peter, Alice, and myself—headed out of the Tower after a quick goodbye to Julius and we were on our way.

xoxox

Guided by the card soldier we arrived at the Castle of Hearts, which was aptly named—I stopped outside the hedge maze and stared at the structure, not quite believing my eyes, until Alice reminded me we needed to keep moving. That was my longest gaze; we were rushed through the maze and through the grand entrance, down many corridors lined in red and white and black, and all I was catching was a cursory glance of my surroudings, not enough to sate my curiosity. We arrived finally to the court and I saw the Queen of Hearts for the first time.

She was a beautiful woman. Raven hair, beautiful dark eyes, and a good complexion. She exuded authority and grace. But at the moment she also looked displeased, brows pinching together as she glared down at Peter.

"White, where did you run off to?"

"To go see Alice, your Majesty."

"Go back to work. You've slacked enough for one day. You too, Knight." Ace left without bowing while Peter dropped at the waist a few inches before walking off, glancing back to stare at Alice. She ignored him, as I ignored Ace's own glance back at me before he made his way to wherever it was he went.

When I was sure he was out of sight, though, I glanced back at Ace. _So he's a knight…hmph. _Last night certainly hadn't displayed very chivalrous action.

The Queen stared at me, eyes examining coolly, then asked, "Who is this? We have not met her."

"Dakota, Your Majesty," I answered, feeling slightly awkward. Should I curtsey?

"Call us Vivaldi, Dakota," she replied, scanning and rising from her throne to come closer and examine me.

"Yes, Vivaldi."

She continued to look me over for a moment before smiling, her smile becoming, all charm. "A friend of Alice's is a friend of ours. Come with us. You and Alice and we can spend some time together."

Alice and I followed Vivaldi to her bedchamber, ghosted by two faceless chambermaids, and my eyes were assaulted by CUTE. Pink and plush and fur and light filled the whole space. I stared, not sure entirely what to say. I like cute stuff. Really. But this…

"We do adore cute things," Vivaldi said, practically gushing, sitting on the floor with a large, fluffy pink bear in her lap, her legs splaying in a decidedly un-queenly way—this must have been the only place in the castle she felt comfortable enough to do that. "But we would like to keep it a secret. Promise not to tell, Dakota?" Somehow I got the impression that asking me was merely a formality; she expected me to accept no matter what.

"My lips are sealed." Satisfied, Vivaldi ordered tea—same kind as at the Hatter's mansion, I noticed, perhaps a popular flavor—and Alice, Vivaldi and I talked about nothing important for some time. Vivaldi asked me where I was from, and I gave her the abridged version of my journey here. She found the Forest of Doors interesting, though I didn't tell her how exactly I'd come across it, and she dismissed one of her maids, waiting in silence in the corner of the room to serve, to get a message out to Ace. What that message contained I don't know; Vivaldi wrote a quick missive and sent it off.

Golden afternoon light slanted in through the windows, casting the room in warm light. I'd long kicked off my shoes and was cuddling with an oversized lion toy, which I quietly dubbed Aslan and held, the toy large enough for me to rest my chin on its head.

"So, Dakota, what did you want to ask me?"

I glanced up at Alice and sighed. Where to begin…

"Well, you mentioned the game to me when I first showed up here." She nodded, remembering, so I went on. "But I don't really get how I'm supposed to win. I get how to play, that I meet everyone and get to know people, and somehow the vile magically fills up again, but how do I win?"

Alice glanced at Vivaldi and then said, "I don't think it's really a matter of 'winning' or 'losing', you just play until you're ready to go home."

"How close are you? To filling the vial?"

Alice seemed slightly surprised by the question; I'm not sure why. Vivaldi was also looking at Alice curiously, and Alice looked down at her tea, fiddling nervously.

"What?" I asked.

"It's full," Alice said quietly. "Mine has been full for a while."

"Oh," I said, perking up. Now why would she stay? Unless…

Vivaldi also looked surprised and then…curious. She smiled a little the cat whose caught the canary.

"Oh?" she said, her tone quite a bit more conspiratorial. "What is this? Is little Alice…intrigued by anyone here?"

She blushed and looked away, trying to keep her dignity while Vivaldi giggled cheerily.

"Oh Alice, don't be embarrassed. We must know who the cretin is so that we may watch him."

"Vivaldi, please, don't," she pleaded weakly, and Vivaldi suppressed another giggle, but failed to suppress her grin completely when she pushed, "So who is he?"

She sighed and said, her blush dissipating some, "Blood."

Vivaldi looked…disappointed, for some reason I couldn't fathom.

I rested my head on Aslan's. Okay then. "So you're staying because you…love him?" I asked, trying not to sound too assuming.

She nodded. Vivaldi lost the teasing nature and said to Alice, "So why haven't I heard about this until now? I would have thought…after the ball…"

"We made up…I guess," she muttered. "And I promised to stay, to give us a chance…"

I thought about my first day here, how Blood had behaved toward me…it wasn't like a guy attached. I frowned at Alice, but said nothing. She had to know what Blood was like and taken the chance anyway. Besides I was new, I really didn't know these people.

Vivaldi glanced at her wrist watch and gasped.

"My, look at the time! We've spent all day in here! I'm sorry to do this to you, but we have some very important business to attend to before the night is done. It was lovely to see you again Alice, and to meet you, Dakota. You must visit us again soon."

* * *

A/N: I think its funny that Vivaldi's like "A friend of Alice is a friend of mine," even though it's totally not true, at least where the guys are concerned. And Dakota's trying so hard not to be judgmental but can't seem to find the line between "gut instinct" and "unreliable bias," like her assumptions drawn from Alice's reaction to Peter.

On a writer's note, sometimes its hard to find the balance between what you and I, the writer/reader knows, and what an OC can't possibly know yet. Trying to balance summary and what would be real character discovery of a world you and I already know. Ugh.


	7. Chapter 7

7. Important Differences

A card soldier escorted Alice and I from the Castle, leaving us at the entrance to the hedge maze after Alice assured him we'd be fine on our own. We walked in silence for a little while, Alice clearly still getting over her embarrassment, while I was thinking about the Queen.

"Vivaldi reminds me of Blood," I said suddenly, realizing why Vivaldi had seemed so familiar.

Alice's tone was even as she said, "How?"

"The way they act. They're both very…elegant people but I get this feeling, like they're hiding something darker."

Alice said nothing and when I glanced over she was frowning, deep in thought.

"I suppose so. They are leaders of their territories, after all."

"Why are the territories fighting?"

Alice shrugged. "I don't really know. So far as anyone will tell me, its part of the rules of Wonderland. That's just how this place operates."

I opened my mouth to ask more, and Alice smiled at me and shook her head. "You can ask for hours and hours and still never be satisfied. I've tried, believe me."

I sighed and reached out to brush my hand against the pruned hedge wall. "Sorry if all my questions bother you."

She shook her head. "Not at all. But you have to kind of just…go with the flow here. If you don't you'll go mad."

"I don't exactly 'go with the flow'," I admitted sheepishly. "Never have."

Alice shrugged. "I get that. But you can't apply normal standards to Wonderland."

Suddenly gunshots rang out and Alice and I ducked instinctively, before Alice rushed out through the end of the maze. I followed quickly, but couldn't help wonder why we were running _toward _the danger. We broke out at the maze's entrance and saw four card soldiers lying on the grounds, bleeding and unmoving. Amidst their bodies was a very dazed Boris, gun in hand, blood splatter on his clothes and face. He had a large cut on his shoulder. I froze in place, too shocked to move as I stared at the cat. Alice ran over to Boris.

"What happened?" she said, gingerly touching Boris' arm.

"They caught me climbing on the walls again. It was self-defense, I swear."

The faceless' soldiers mouths were gaped open in surprise and anger and I stared, my mind catching up as blood pounded loudly in my ears. Then I turned around and threw up.

The smell of blood was overpowering, the sight gruesome. I am not a squeamish girl, but this was too much. It was one thing to see it in a movie or read it on a page; something entirely different when it was real and you could _smell_ it, when the red spread beneath still bodies and you couldn't poke your friends in the theater and point out the one or two actors who failed to hide their breathing. When I was done I wiped my mouth and tried to gain control over myself again, grateful my hair had been pulled back.

Someone touched my shoulder gently. I turned and saw Alice, barely managing to hold Boris up and looking down at me in concern. "We need to get out of here. Are you alright?"

I nodded and stood, then walked over to Boris' injured side and helped Alice walk him back to the Amusement Park, not even looking around until we were well clear of the maze, my eyes on the ground and occasionally to Alice to communicate directions. We found the residence hall where the Park people slept and climbed the steps into his room, laying him as gently as possible on the couch in there. Boris told us where we could find a first aid kit and sewing needles—he'd need stitches. Alice helped Boris removed the bloodied top and inspected the wound—I waited on the sidelines, soaking needles and thread in alcohol. While Alice was cleaning up Boris' shoulder she reprimanded him.

"I thought you weren't going to risk your life anymore."

"Sorry, Alice," he said, his ears drooping. "But I'm curious, it's my nature."

"It's going to get you killed one day." There was a catch in her voice; Alice was going to cry. "It doesn't matter that there's a replacement, you will still be gone."

"I'm sorry," he said again, more subdued. I could hear the sincerity, and Alice's hands stilled, gauze in her hands that had begun to shake.

My mind was clearing of its auto-pilot shock and the tension in the air was more than I could handle at that moment. Quietly I gathered the bloodied bandages and Boris' clothing and left the room, but not before catching a glimpse of Boris putting his good arm around Alice, who'd begun to cry.

Thankfully the hallway was deserted as I searched for a place to calm down, dimly noting that I'd need to throw out Boris' clothing. Blood doesn't come out, after all.

I ran into Gowland in the kitchen. The bandages were thrown out, but I was hovering over the sink, my stomach writhing and my hands still holding the clothing, and I wondered if I'd throw up again. I needed something, a glass of water maybe. Something to calm me down.

"Dakota? How are you?" He saw the look on my face and frowned concernedly. "What's wrong?"

I told him about Boris and the bodies, trying to keep my voice calm. Gowland placed a hand on my shoulder in comfort.

"I'm sorry you had to see that."

I glanced up at him. "Is it…" I swallowed, my hands clutching the sink to stop them from shaking. "Is it always this dangerous?"

Gowland sighed, his jovial face from when I first met him gone and replaced with resigned sadness. "Yes, sometimes. But Boris, well…" he sighed tiredly. "Boris is always getting himself into trouble. It's been a long time since he's been hurt."

I remembered the bodies and swallowed. "I can't believe he killed those men…"

Gowland shrugged. "They'll be replaced. It's not really a big deal."

I stared at him, not able to put into coherent thoughts the horror I felt as I stared up at him. He sighed and said, "I forget, you're a foreigner. You see…er, how to explain this…"

"What?"

He sighed again and then came out and said it plainly. "Death isn't the same here."

"Death is death," I muttered angrily, knowing that what I said was stupid and not caring as I glared at Gowland. He didn't look apologetic, only…nervous.

"I'm not saying this right."

"Then explain. Please." I didn't bother to keep the anger out of my voice. How dare he—how dare he belittle the fact that people had died!

He raised his hands and said placidly, "Came down, Dakota. Alice had the same misunderstanding when she came to Wonderland. But we don't see death the way you do. You see, when a Wonderlander dies, his clock—like your heart—stops. Clocks are taken to the Tower where Monrey fixes them. They are given to an afterimage, who then becomes a living, breathing person again, replacing the one that died. When we die, there will always be someone to take our place. In that way we never truly die."

"But that person can't replace the one that died," I started, holding onto my anger despite Gowland's attempt to placate me. "All people are different; you can't replace anyone."

"Alice says the same things."

"Alice is right." Something occurred to me then. "So what about you guys? Does having a face change how you die?"

"No. Even we Role-Holders have replacements for when we die."

The way he said, the clear acceptance and normalcy about it in his voice, shook me in a way that even the dead soldiers hadn't.

"You don't think life is worth much, do you?"

"Until Alice and you showed up, no one thought much about it. This is just the way things are here. You can't think of Wonderland the same way you think of your home," he added, unknowingly echoing what Alice had said to me earlier. "Although I'm starting to wonder myself, actually," he added with a smile. If it was meant to appease me, it didn't work, but I had to let it go. My head hurt enough as it was.

He pulled out a card from his pocket and said, "Here. It's a full-access pass for the Park, so you can come and play any time you want."

I accepted the card, knowing he meant well. It wasn't his fault, and I had realized then that taking my anger out at him didn't do either of us any good. "Thanks. I better get going, then."

"Where are you going?"

I didn't know. "I need some air. Some time to think." I suddenly felt very tired; I hadn't slept since running away from Ace and the excitement of the last eighteen hours or so had worn off. Until this moment, I hadn't even realized that I should have been tired.

"Want me to get rid of that for you?" he asked, pointing at the bloodied clothing in my hand. I glanced at it and shook my head.

"Where's a trash can?"

He pointed it out. Wordlessly I threw the clothing away and washed my hands, scrubbing at them until the skin was raw.

I left Gowland staring after me in concern, hand on the wall to hold myself up until I could get outside. There, I walked until I found one of the park benches, sat down, shut my eyes against the evening sun, and was asleep before I even had a chance to collect my thoughts.


	8. Chapter 8

8. A Talk

I dreamed.

The world around me swirled in various shades of gray and white, creating a smoky space with no clear floor or ceiling or solid foundation. Somewhere in my mind I remembered the stairs in the Forest of Doors, and then they were there, spiraling around me, a flight of them appearing at my feet. I didn't move.

"What are you waiting for?"

I started and whirled around, my head jerking back from the pair of black, shiny boots that appeared inches from eye level. Peering up, I stepped back—and stumbled down three steps until I reached out to catch hold of anything to keep me up, and a rail appeared from nowhere.

A man with dark gray hair and an eye-patch smiled down at me, floating three feet in the air.

"Nightmare Gottschalk, at your service."

"You're floating."

"Yes, I am."

"You shouldn't scare people like that."

"Sorry," he said with an insincere smile.

_Sure you are, _I thought. I let my hand leave the railing and looked around.

"You are in my Dream Realm," Nightmare said helpfully. "At any point in time people in Wonderland can come across this place, or I bring them here."

"You do…?"

"Yup. I am an incubus, a dream demon."

"Ok." I stared down at the steps.

"I don't know where they lead either," he said, and I glanced back up at him, frowning in annoyance. Smiling, he added, "It's your dream, after all."

"Why do you keep doing that?"

"What?"

"Answering questions I haven't asked yet."

Nightmare floated down to the steps, landing without a sound on them, and walked down to meet me. I still had to crane my head up to meet his eyes, but it wasn't as bad as before. He still wore that smirk, which was beginning to infuriate me a little. "Why don't you take a guess?"

I stared at him, trying to convey all my annoyance at his vague answers, and he continued to just smile.

"Seriously, stop that."

"Why?"

"Because—"

"It bothers you," he finished.

"You're _not_ reading my mind."

"Sure I am."

"That's not possible."

"It's a dream. Everything is possible."

"Is that why you can float?"

"You could too, if you wanted. You have complete control."

I stared at the floor, and then at him. His smile dimmed a little, losing the teasing aspect, and he said, "Try it."

_It's only a dream. You've flown in your dreams before…_and then before I realized I'd done it, I was hovering a foot in the air and able to make level eye contact with Nightmare.

In real life something like this would have severely freaked me out. As it was, dreams have a way of mellowing people out, and I was no exception. I stared at the floor and back at Nightmare, who was smiling again, but a real one, not a smirk.

"See?" he said. "You have to let go a little, and then the possibilities are endless."

"Are you real?" I asked, not letting the question settle before voicing it. Because if this guy could read my mind, it didn't matter if I thought the question was offensive or dumb.

"Very."

"You said you can bring people here. Yet you also keep saying I'm in control here. Which is it?"

"Both are true. In my realm I can take back control, but I prefer not to."

"So why am I here?"

He said nothing for a bit, just staring at me in some critical way. I glanced over at the eye-patch, a raised decoration of gold like an empty eye staring back, offering nothing. Finally, "Because I wanted to meet you."

"Why?"

The smirk was back. "Why do you always ask why?"

"Because it's a good place to start."

"Really? I believe it's a complicated place to start, depending on the question."

"Which you still haven't answered."

He sighed and nodded. "Alright then, that's fair. I wanted to meet you because you managed to come to Wonderland without my permission, and I wanted to see what kind of a person managed to do that."

I frowned and didn't voice my question. I wasn't sure of the phrasing and here that seemed to matter. Even if it was only a dream.

_The most lucid dream I've ever had, but still… _"Your permission?"

"That's right." He reached a hand out and there was a vial in his hand, a quarter of the way full. I knew without checking that it was mine. "See, I don't just hand these out, and the way to Wonderland is kept tightly shut. Foreigners like you and Alice don't come in very often and we like to keep it that way."

"Why?"

"Because Wonderland is a dangerous place."

Somehow or other I sensed there was more to it than that, but he didn't seem to be willing to give me anything without my asking. "So how did I get in?"

"How _did_ you get in?"

I felt myself dropping back to the floor, my hand reaching out for the railing to catch my descent. Still holding it I lowered myself to sit on the steps and said, "I fell through a mirror."

Nightmare sat down beside me, long legs resting onto the next steps below my feet. "Anything special about that mirror?"

"It's a family heirloom. Then again, my aunt's house is a living museum as it is," I added, picturing the place in my mind and smiling. I suddenly missed it, and realized I hadn't thought about my aunt or my brothers since coming here. I hoped they weren't worried. I glanced at Nightmare. "Can you see it?"

"The house?" I nodded. "Because you pictured it just now, I can."

"And did you find any clues from that?"

He stared off, eyes distant, and then after a few silent minutes shook his head. "Nope, not a thing." He met my eyes again, and I couldn't help but stare at the eye-patch. "I suppose I'll have to figure it over your stay, until you're ready to get back home."

I thought about what had happened today, the night before…

"Wonderland frightens you."

"A little," I admitted.

"You'll adjust. You've only been here for a few days."

Had it really been that short? "So much has happened."

Nightmare smiled. "It certainly never gets boring."

I pointed at Nightmare's hand, where my vial was still cupped, and asked, "Can I have that back?"

He handed it over. I rolled the vial around in my palm and then pocketed it. "Is Boris going to be okay?" I asked him.

"I think so," Nightmare answered, "he usually is."

"And…those soldiers…"

"Gowland explained that to you," he said, not unkindly.

"But I don't really get it. So what if the soldiers are replaced? They're still individual people."

"You met Julius. He is the Clock Maker; he repairs clocks for reuse and that is how people are reborn. You may see it as a little callous, but those soldiers won't have felt much anxiety about their deaths because they know their clocks would be reused. Not in the same way people like you do."

I couldn't say anything to that. Arguments that would go nowhere ran in my mind but there wasn't a point in voicing them. We'd end up here for hours, running circles about points and facts that no amount of arguing would change. It was a waste of time.

"Well, Nightmare, can you let me return to dreaming like a normal person?"

"Why? What's wrong with this?"

I shrugged. "Well, nothing, I suppose. But you said you can bring people here."

"I did."

"Everyone here sees you in their dreams?"

He nodded.

"So is everyone having the same dream?"

He snorted quietly. "No. No one dreams the same as another. Everyone knows that."

"But isn't it strange to dream and have a conversation with the same person as another person? …if that makes sense."

"Just because I exist in dreams?" Nightmare clarified, and I nodded. "I suppose it is strange. But this is Wonderland, we do 'strange' pretty well."

I laughed at that.

"Finally," he said.

"What?"

"You smiled."

I couldn't help it; I smiled a bit wider at that. "Sorry for being so heavy."

He shook his head. "It's fine. It's a lot to take in."

I stretched and stood up, looking around. "Can I change the scenery?"

"It's your dream—"

"Right, I control it," I interrupted. I shut my eyes and opened them a moment later, to find myself sitting…in my school?

I stared, the grounds familiar and evoking memories of graduation and friends I hadn't spoken to in weeks. "Nope," I said after a moment, "I definitely do not want to be here. I've spent the last four years here, I could use a long break."

Nightmare smiled at that. "May I have a turn?"

"Go for it," I said, staring around. The scene morphed again, in a blink of an eye. Now we stood in what looked like a corner room at the Clock Tower.

"Where are we?"

"My office." He coughed heavily, pulling out a handkerchief and hiding his face within it as his body shook from the fit. I frowned in concern.

"You alright?"

He nodded, after a moment, and straightened up, folding the handkerchief before sticking it back in his pocket. "I haven't been feeling well lately. Nothing to worry about."

"…Right." I looked around. "Nice place. You like clovers."

"You could say that."

I parked on the couch situated in front of his desk, and Nightmare sat down in the chair across from me. "So, Dakota," he said, "do you have any more questions for me before you wake up?"

"How did you know about my coming here?"

"I know everything that goes on while Wonderland is awake."

I rose an eyebrow. "Really? Everything?"

He nodded. "Everything. From Alice falling in love to Boris' injuries to your falling asleep."

"Sounds like a lot to keep in your head at one time."

He shrugged. "Depends. Not having foreigners makes it easier, I will admit. You guys tend to complicate things."

"How so?"

An amused grin spread across his face. He leaned forward, fingers folding together in front of his mouth. "No one's told you what being a foreigner in Wonderland means, huh?"

"Can't you just read my mind and tell?" I replied cheekily, slightly annoyed that the smirk was back.

"I'd prefer to hear it from the horse's mouth, so to speak."

Sighing dramatically and leaning forward to mirror him, hands together before my mouth, I asked, "So what does being a foreigner mean?"

"Every Wonderlander that meets you will fall in love with you."

I waited for the punch line. When it didn't come I stared up at Nightmare, straightening in my seat. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of."

He shrugged. "This is the rule for foreigners. This is the Game of Wonderland and that is the condition for any foreigner to play. You are no exception, despite that I didn't let you in willingly."

My head was racing. "But everyone has already fallen in love with Alice." If how they'd spoken about her when I'd met the Role-Holders was any fair indication, that is. "So they can't fall in love with me too. That's not how it works."

"Why not?" Nightmare countered. "People have loved more than one person before."

"I've seen the way those men look at Alice. And how is that fair for her, or them? If it's forced?"

"But it isn't. They don't just see her and swoon over like love-sick schoolgirls," Nightmare pointed out bluntly. "It's gradual, but inevitable."

"So how is it real, then?"

"That depends on the person. Let me ask you a question: why do _you_ think you're here? I brought Alice because she wished to be away from home and Peter wished to meet her. But you just stumbled on in. So what are you trying to escape?"

I stood up, having to move around. This was just beyond ridiculous. "If you're telling me that I came here because I wanted to be loved by everyone, you're dead wrong. I was plenty happy back home."

"You were, were you? What exactly made you happy?"

At that moment I hesitated. Nightmare smiled knowingly. "I'm afraid we're out of time to talk."

"Wait a minute—"

"—I am afraid that I cannot sit here so that you can deny wishing to be here. You are here and so there must be a reason that you refuse to acknowledge."

I stared, taken back by his sudden strong words.

"Dakota." His voice was calm again.

"…Yes?"

"As a parting gift, I formerly invite you to Wonderland, where nothing and everything is as it seems. Now go and live a little."

I woke up, a hand shaking my shoulder and the evening twilight disorienting me.

* * *

A/N: Nightmare's fun to write. He's one my favorite characters, even if we don't get to see him much. Hopefully I got him right. Sorry for the delay-I've been trying to write/revise chapters in advance so I have something when writer's block hits, but this is taking a while and I didn't want to string out the wait any more than I have. (Translation: _I've hit a wall. Help.)_


	9. Chapter 9

9. The Change

"Dakota?"

I blinked and leaned forward, a dull pain aching in my neck. I hadn't fallen asleep in a good position. Rubbing my face I looked up at my waker and saw Boris standing there, a jacket covering him, but unzipped and exposing his bandages.

"Boris," I mumbled in greeting.

"We were wondering where you disappeared to. Alice was worried."

"I'm fine, just fell asleep." I stood and stretched before asking, "How is your shoulder?"

"Better. I took some pain meds."

"When do you think it'll be back in action?"

"Doc says a few weeks."

I nodded. "I'm just glad you're alright."

"I'm sorry." His ears were drooped down into his hair, his tail limp.

I frowned in concern. "What for?"

"That you had to see that. That your clothes were ruined. I'm sorry for worrying you and Alice."

I sighed, and then looked down at my shirt, which was covered in blood stains—how I hadn't noticed before is beyond me, but at this point it didn't matter. "I can borrow a new shirt. I'm just glad you're alright." I looked around; the park was lit up, the lights soft and warming. "How's Alice holding up?"

"She's okay. She's asleep, so I went to find you."

I frowned at him, eyes on his shoulder. "Should you be moving?"

He shrugged, and then winced at the pain. "I'm fine, really. This's just a scratch."

We stood in silence for a few minutes, unsure what to say. I stared out at the Park at night, amazed that it was still running. "How often do you change out the rides?"

"Every six months," Boris said, glad to have a new conversation. "New rides, new carnival games, new prizes. Though," he glanced around and bent toward Dakota conspiratorily, and whispered, "we reuse a lot of the same prizes—just put hats on them or flowers to make 'em different."

I smiled at that. "You little cheats."

Boris wriggled his eyebrows and said conspiratorially, "What people don't know won't hurt 'em. I won't tell them if you won't."

I had to laugh, glad to see that he was back to normal despite the hurt. Boris smiled at me. "You hungry? Dinner's fresh salmon, there's plenty for one more."

I nodded. "Yeah, that sounds great."

xoxox

I ended up staying the night at the Park. Gowland was a good host, minus when he attempted to entertain us with a new composition (Boris, myself, and Alice all had to suddenly go to the bathroom), and Gowland let me stay in the guest bedroom with Alice. Both of us were exhausted from the day, and I slept without dreaming well into the late morning.

Boris gave me a white button-down ("Gowland tries to make me wear 'em, no thanks!") and an old, too-small pair of slacks, another forced item from Gowland, along with a belt to hold them in place. I had to admit, it felt good to be in pants again. After a shower (oh, blessed hygiene!) and breakfast Alice and I were ready to be on our way. Boris offered to walk us to the Tower, but Gowland stepped in and point-blank refused allowing him to leave, stating that he needed to take of himself. Only a similar plea from Alice actually resulted in Boris staying behind, though he pouted about it.

Which was how I ended up back at the Tower alone with Julius for company. Alice had promised a day with Blood and I didn't want to intrude, so I stayed behind.

Not that that left much to do with my time—Julius was a diligent worker, something to admire, but at the same time…

_God I'm bored._

I'd watched Julius repairing the watches—more than I could have honestly conceived there would need to be. My mind wondered back to what Gowland had told me, and as I stared at the box of defunct clocks I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to the owners of those clocks.

Not that Julius would necessarily know.

"If you'd like, you have my permission to explore the Tower," Julius said.

I perked up at that. "Really?"

He nodded. "You're clearly bored and frankly it's bothering me."

Right. "I'll get out of your hair, then," I muttered, and he raised a brow at the expression before deciding it wasn't worth commenting on and returning to his work.

That's how I would remember him, sitting in diligent silence over his desk, working at the delicate tuning of the clock in his hand. At that moment I did not know that this would be that last time I saw him for a long, long while.

I found the staircase leading outside and climbed to the central roof of the building, looking out at the smaller towers that circled the central one. From here I had a full view of the Wonderland territories—I could glimpse the Mansion grounds, where Alice would be spending the day with Blood, and Elliot would be attempting to corral the twins into remaining at their guard station. The thought made me smile and I suddenly missed them with an ache that surprised me. I'd known them all of maybe three days and yet already…so I turned away from the sight, to find the Castle of Hearts. Vivaldi was nice and Peter was...manic, to say the least. But then a remembrance of red eyes and invasion filled my head and I had to turn away, fear clutching at me. I needed to confront Ace about it—but frankly, I was scared. That look in his eye when Julius assigned him "the usual" mission had terrified me. I decided then and there I wanted nothing to do with him.

So I turned my sight to the Amusement Park. I was worried about Boris—they said he would be alright, but…and Gowland had been kind to me.

The mysteries of the Tower called, but the need to see if Boris was alright, even though I'd seen him just yesterday, called louder.

I turned away from the sight, the wind buffeting me until I found the door leading downstairs, and I descended, reaching the door to the next level down.

It wouldn't budge.

I pulled, I shoved, I even threw my weight into the door, but it wouldn't move an inch. Pounding on the wood I yelled out, "Julius! Can you hear me! Julius!"

But a good ten minutes of that had yielded nothing, so I turned away and climbed back upstairs to find another door leading down. There had to be more than one way to the top of the tower. It was just a matter of finding it…

I walked along the inside of the roof, trying to find another door, then along the edge of the wall, searching for a trap door or something—

And tripped over a metal ring that had escaped my sight, landing hard on my knee.

With a painful groan I sat up, rubbing at my leg, knowing it was going to bruise. I moved, glancing beneath me to see the ring and the door it connected to.

"Finally," I muttered, and putting aside my hurt knee for the moment, put all my weight into pulling the door free. It took a moment, but the wood lifted clear and I saw a flight of narrow wooden steps descend into gloom.

_Might as well see where it goes,_ I thought, and descended down into the dark, leaving the trap door purposefully open.

The gloom was temporary; small windows, merely holes in the structure where light and wind could move through, lit the small space and I was grateful I wasn't claustrophobic as I descended. The steps creaked and my heart began to race; the smell of decay and must filled my nostrils and I had the immediate sense that these steps weren't used all that often. Tentatively I reached out to touch an open window, and came away with cobwebs on my hands. Recoiling in disgust I wiped my hands on my pants and continued on, trying not to think about spiders and other creepy-crawlies—which got progressively harder the longer the stairs fell and less frequent the windows became.

The gloom deepened into twilight and I was beginning to feel my way around for a door, wanting out. This had been interesting for all of five minutes and I was ready to return to the main part of the tower.

I almost missed my escape path, and had to stop and climb up a few steps to make sure I hadn't mistaken it.

And that's when I heard the whispers again.

They weren't as loud or as clear as they'd been that night in the woods, but there were there—that sweet seductive sound of comfort and security, that same feeling from before.

I hesitated, my hands on the hinges and the knob, but I didn't turn it, the warnings from Alice and Julius ringing in my head.

_The Forest of Doors… it shouldn't be here right now. People who are caught in the forest never get out again._

The same voices…surely the forest couldn't be here, in a place of stone and mortar?

But I'd gotten through before. There was no reason I wouldn't now. And surely this wasn't the same thing. It couldn't be. This was Wonderland, sure, but a forest was made of trees and life and organisms. This was stone, this was dead matter.

With that last thought I turned the knob and entered.

This time there was no blinding white, but swirling shadow met me immediately. This time there were no stairs and I was falling before I could catch myself on the other side. This time, I screamed and screamed and nothing new happened.

This time I was sure I'd never escape. Things were falling all around me, things like pianos and benches and bookcases and stuffed animals and rabbits—

I was falling down a rabbit hole? No way.

"What is this, Lewis Carroll tripping on acid?" I screamed out, and that's when everything stopped. I jolted to a halt, my stomach reaching into my throat—but I was no longer falling, and that's when the images began to blend and meld until they conformed into what looked like…

"Puzzle pieces?" I muttered, feeling my eyes widen into saucers and not quite understanding what it was I was seeing until a floor of black and white checks had fit itself together, the outside uneven like an uncompleted puzzle, but forming itself into a straight path that disappeared into darkness. I stood at the end of it, nothing behind me but empty darkness.

I stepped forward, and where my foot had been the ground disappeared. I felt the floor crumble behind my other foot and without another thought ran.

The checkered, puzzle-pattern path formed itself out of the darkness in front of me as it disappeared behind me, and somehow I could see despite it all, until in the distance the shadow solidified into a door. Without slowing I reached out and grasped the knob, throwing myself into the wood as I turned and swung it open—

And fell into a pile of leaves, hit by crisp autumn air.

xoxox

"This can_not _be happening."

A cold breeze answered me, making me shiver. I was sitting in the middle of autumnal wood, warm afternoon light filtering through the branches of red, orange, and golden foliage. I stood up, cringing as pain hit my knee—pain I'd forgotten in panic just a short while again. I knew without bothering to look that the Tower was no longer behind me—and that I should assume it was would be silly.

_I've already been here too long, _I thought dryly, gritting my teeth through the pain in my knee and standing to look around. I was probably still in Wonderland, but _where_ was I?

The wood around me had one door'd tree. It was the largest oak on my left, and the door was off-kilter, leaning a bit to the right, the shape squeezed in the middle like a tube of toothpaste. I glanced at it, but heard nothing from it.

Frankly, I was done with door travel. I looked around me. I was on a forest path—the worn ground couldn't be anything other than a trail—so it was just a matter of direction.

But where was it was fall? And why hadn't I noticed this before?

"Just how long was I in there?" I muttered aloud, looking around and brushing stray leaves off my clothes.

"How long were you in where?"

"GAH!" I screamed out, spinning around and jumping back, only to have my questioner scream out in response, and then we were both screaming—

"Don't hurt me!"

"I'm scared, chuuuuu~!"

"GAAAAHHH!"

"DON'T EAT MEEEEEEEEE!"

I caught my breath to stare at this new…creature, who was hunched back in the fetal position, crying and carrying on without realizing that I wasn't actually screaming anymore.

I stared at him—for surely it was a he (where the hell are the girls in this place? Seriously…)—and saw the ears. They were…teddy bear ears? But as I stared that seemed to be wrong, and so I said calmly, "Its okay, I'm sorry to scare you; I'm not going to hurt you."

He finally stopped screaming, although he kept crying. "Shh," I whispered, as if calming a crying baby, "It's okay, it's going to be alight…"

Sniffing loudly he glanced up me and said sadly, "You s-s-scared me, Chu…and I was t-t-trying to help you…"

Guilt filled me and so I replied in a mumble, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"W-who are you?" the guy sniffed.

"I'm Dakota, Dakota Cooper. Who are you?"

With another, quieter sniff that must have meant he was calming down, the guy answered, "P-p-pierce."

"Nice to meet you, Pierce. Could you tell me where I am?"

Pierce wiped his eyes, uncurling himself until both of us were sitting on the forest floor, staring at one another. "In the—_sniiif—_forest by the Amusement Park."

So I wasn't anywhere really strange.

"Could you take me to the Park?" Maybe Boris could give me some answers to what had happened, and maybe how long I'd been gone.

"Sure!" the little guy chirped, and he stood up with remarkable spirit. "Follow me!"

It was as if his crying fit had never happened. Feeling a mix of relief and surprise I stood up and followed after him, until we were both running through the woods. Soon the chill breeze felt great and the colors around me dazzled. But the forest didn't break out into the entrance of the Amusement Park—for when we cleared the top of the path I saw the familiar hedges of the Hatter Mansion, not the gates of the park.

"Um…Pierce? We're in the wrong place."

"Uh-oh…chu…" the little guy deflated for a moment, and then huffed angrily. "It's that stupid cat's fault that we got lost! Always trying to eat me, Chu!"

Cat? "You were being chased by Boris?"

Pierce jumped, looking frantically around. "Where? WHERE IS HE, THAT EVIL CAT?!"

I raised my hands, grasping Pierce and shaking him. "Calm down, he's not here! We're at the Hatter Mansion, not the Park!"

"Oh…" the guy deflated. That's when I noticed the tail, falling limp in relief. (That I didn't even notice it before escapes me, but oh well.) And suddenly I knew what animal the ears belonged to.

"You're a mouse, aren't you?" I asked him.

"Yup!" Pierce chirped, ears rising and tail lifting into an animated curl. "You wouldn't happen to have any cheese on you, would you? I'm hungry. Being scared makes me hungry."

I sighed and let Pierce go. "No, I don't have any cheese." I was running out of patience too. I looked around and said decisively, "Well I guess we can stop by here for a bit. Maybe Elliot or Blood might know what's up…"

"You're not going in there?" Pierce said, surprised and clearly afraid.

"Yes, I am. You can follow or not, but they're my friends and I'll make sure they don't hurt you."

Not that I could actually guarantee that, but it seemed to make Pierce feel better, because he followed me as I walked around the hedge, trying to find the entrance. He constantly paused to look over his shoulder, and after a little while I ignored him. Frankly, the guy seemed a bit paranoid.

The gate came into view, along with two familiar figures in blue and red.

"Dee! Dum!" I called out, and they turned at the sounds of their names.

"Dakota-onee-san!"

They ran toward me and I let them engulf me in a bone-crushing hug. I squeezed back, frankly glad to see them again. It felt like such a long time since I'd seen them last.

"You're back! We heard you disappeared after the change-over!" they cried out.

"Change-over?" I said, pulling back from them. "What change-over?"

"It's April Season!" they cried out. "April Season, way early!"

_What in the hell is April Season? And if so, why does it feel like October?_

* * *

A/N: Hey, look. Things are happening. I think I enjoy using Door Travel as a plot device a little too much. :) I hope I got Pierce right for you Pierce fans, I'm not as familiar with him as with the manga characters. I've never played the games, so my knowledge of Gray, the Jokers, and Pierce comes primarily from fan-fics and conscientious reviewers. I guess that serves as your OOC-warning for the rest of this story.


	10. Chapter 10

Warning: Cursing in this chapter. Just letting you know if that bugs you.

* * *

10. What Happened and The Beginning of What's Next

Nightmare sat in front of the fire in his office in Clover Tower, scowling.

He was scowling because he was cold, despite the blanket around his shoulders and the fire in front of him. He was scowling because Gray had been particularly brutal in making him fill out paperwork and attend the administrative side of his job. He was scowling because another sighting of a mass of afterimages had been spotted and three people had gone missing during the afternoon, making the total of missing persons now twenty-seven.

Most of all, though, he was scowling because it had been two weeks and he couldn't figure out why April Season had come _now._

Worst of all, the Circus was in town and the rules for the Country of Joker were overlapping with those of Clover, and Nightmare was not happy. Not at all.

The world was going nuts (and for Wonderland that was saying something). First, that foreigner Dakota showed up out of the blue, vial in hand, without his permission to wonder around Wonderland and make the Role-Holders and their Game of Hearts more confusing than it needed to be. He knew because already the Role-Holders' dreams were shifting in confusion—the almost obligatory attraction they all felt for Alice was moving slowly toward Dakota, and they were becoming torn. The effect was strongest in Boris Airay and Elliot March, though the twins seemed a close third. But the twins were fickle like that.

Next came the sudden change to April Season, and Julius had disappeared with the Clock Tower, presumably taking Dakota with him, since it had been two weeks and no one could find her anywhere. And then, not a week ago, the Circus had shown up and the territories were suddenly locked, save for whoever the Jokers let through.

Nightmare's scowl deepened at the thought of the Jokers. They were necessary for the balance of Wonderland, and so had to be tolerated. But Nightmare did not appreciate their sudden appearance.

With the circus and prison had come an influx of afterimages, with no clocks for them to fill. Julius' disappearance wouldn't normally be an issue, because Nightmare could travel from country-to-country, regardless of which country was in Wonderland, and get clocks. That was his right as ruler. But when the Jokers showed up out of the blue and _without his knowing,_ Nightmare's connection to the clockmaker disappeared. And with him, clocks for the afterimages to take and make bodies of their own with.

The nights had gotten dangerous. _Fine, more dangerous, _Nightmare conceded in his head. Already people were disappearing in unprecedented numbers, and the time periods were getting more out of order, if that were even possible. Afternoons would last for a full twenty-four hours or only seconds; mornings came in literal blinks of the eye and then it would be night for thirteen hours. And more and more afterimages were appearing, as faceless were slaughtered for their clocks and their remains forced to roam. Julius wasn't here to meet the demand and Nightmare couldn't get hold of the clocks he'd still be repairing in the clock tower because the way was shut. That had _never _happened before.

It was a big problem, and if he didn't find a solution soon, than Wonderland was in more trouble than even a pair of foreigners could cause.

xox

Joker looked around the circus with a pleased smile, glad to see that everything was set up just so and that in the week they'd been open, everything had gone over without a hitch.

"Fuck your smoothly running shithole, the prison is a fucking mess," came the voice from the mask, a perfect copy of the jester's, only angrier and fouler.

"And whose fault is that?" White muttered to his counterpart, enjoying his frustration. "As I recall, you said that holding all our new prisoners wasn't going to be an issue."

"Until all the fucking afterimages starting killing them all."

"It's not something we wouldn't have gotten around to eventually," White pointed out, walking now and examining the cages for the elephants. The clowns and workers around him watched him warily, hearing the man talk to himself and scared to say anything of it.

"I know," Black growled from the mask, "but I want to be the one to do it. Those fuckers take all my fun."

White agreed but said nothing, walking into a nearby tent and letting his surroundings melt into the prison. Now in the warden's garb Joker walked the halls, cracking his whip occasionally at any prisoner who got too close to the bars. It was true though; the prison was full and soon to be over capacity. They were running out of demented doll heads to put over the prisoner's faces and even torturing a few to death everyday wouldn't be enough to keep the numbers down soon.

_Maybe forcing our hand wasn't the best plan, _White thought, and Black growled at him through their shared mouth, a challenge to continue that thought.

"We got our fucking foreigner through, didn't we?" Black said, snapping the whip at a prisoner as he passed. "Little wench did her job as a distraction."

"Which was fine until she disappeared," White snapped, letting his own irritation show through.

Black said nothing here, staying uncharacteristically silent. It was true; since coming into Wonderland they hadn't been able to find the one that had found the way through. They'd known the girl had come in; spies and workers of theirs who kept tabs on Wonderland had let them know. But since the change-over nothing had gone as planned. Instead of the Country of Joker taking over completely, it had melded with the Country of Clover, allowing both April Season and their rules of limited travel to happen all at once. And their experiment had slipped through the cracks (literally, but they couldn't know that) and disappeared into the land of Hearts with the Clock Maker, who they slowly realized was missing completely from the picture in a way that hadn't ever mattered before.

xox

Except that I wasn't missing in the land of Hearts. I was inside the Hatter Mansion, a quivering mouse behind me and twins leading the way to Blood's office, past faceless servants busy bustling about their duties. The windows in the mansion were opened wide, letting in the crisp air from outside, making the whole place smell fresh. Going past them the twins led the way to Blood's office, a reluctant Pierce straggling behind. When we reached the office the twins swung the doors wide with a shout, "Dakota's back!"

Blood looked up from his desk, and Elliot peered around a shelf to grin over at me. "You're here! We thought you changed over with the Clock Maker!"

I smiled at him and said, "No, I got a little side-tracked though…"

"Miss Cooper, it's nice to see you looking well," Blood said politely. I nodded back to him, my smile dimming. "Where have you been all this time?"

"Well, that's the thing," I replied, and Blood interrupted to offer me a seat. Taking a spot on the couch I was immediately flanked by the twins on both sides, but I ignored it to continue. "What's this change-over you all are talking about? How long has it been since it happened?"

Blood smiled a little, the corner of his mouth lifting briefly and then he said, "Yes, of course, you wouldn't know about April Season, would you? Then again, neither did Alice and she's been here much longer than you."

"What's April Season?"

"You know April Fool's Day? Instead of a single day we have an entire month."

"But it's fall outside." It had to have been late spring when I arrived. This made no sense. It didn't feel like I'd been gone that long.

"That's part of the season," Blood continued. "The territories flip seasons—here, we have fall this year. Alice said Clover Tower has winter. I don't know what the others have, I haven't bothered to visit."

"They aren't that far away, though, it couldn't be hard to find out…"

Ah. I must have hit something good because Blood paused. Elliot and the twins glanced at him and that's when Blood said, "The seasons switching isn't the only thing that happened. The Circus also came to town."

I stared at him, not sure if this was supposed to actually mean something, though the way he said clearly meant that it was. "What about the circus?"

Blood frowned then, and that's when he noticed Pierce in the corner of the room, where he'd been hiding this whole time. His frown darkened, the eyebrows pulling together and he snapped at the mouse, "What are you sulking about over there? How'd you get to my house?"

Pierce shook a bit, but crawled out of the corner and said, "I was l-l-lost…and found Dakota."

Blood glared at Pierce and then suddenly grabbed for his pocket watch, lifting it shoulder width—and it transformed a split second later to a Tommy gun. Startled I jumped back, but the twins were there, one to an arm.

"The truth, Dormouse, or I'll blow your head off," Blood continued coldly, and I stared at him.

"Blood, what are you doing?!" I cried out, but then Elliot was there, a hand on my shoulder. I turned to look up at him but he wasn't looking back—instead his gaze was on Pierce as well, hand holding a revolver.

"Stop it, he is telling the truth!" I continued, pulling away from both twins and Elliot and standing to move beside Pierce before they could pull me back. "I fell out of the doors in the woods and that's when I ran into Pierce. He was leading me back to the Amusement Park when we got lost and came here instead! Please, believe me."

Blood's gaze didn't move from the mouse, and his arm didn't waver. "Except he didn't tell you that right now he can't simply travel from territory to territory. The circus prevents us from moving place to place—at least not without passing through with Joker."

Who was Joker? What was this about the circus? "I don't understand, what does the circus have to do with it?"

"Tell her, Dormouse," Blood said softly, ice on every syllable.

Pierce was quivering, but I turned to him and asked softly, "What's he talking about?"

Pierce stared sadly at me and said, "I don't…know…I was lost too. I was on the Hatter's side when the circus came, so I got stuck here. I was trying to find the circus, so we could go home to the park…" he began to cry.

"Shh, it's alright, calm down," I said softly, and then glared over at Blood. "See? Now put that away."

Blood stared at me and we played a game of stalemate. My heart was pounding in my ears and I could feel my body shake, but I bit the inside of my cheek and clutched Pierce, fighting to hide the fear. Blood sighed and dropped the gun—and as it fell it became a pocket watch once more. I let go of Pierce but didn't move away, standing a little in front of him in case Blood tried anything. He cried behind me, and reached for my hand. I let him take it, giving it a reassuring squeeze but my eyes not leaving Blood.

"What about the circus stops people from moving around?"

"It's a rule in the Country of Joker. By being there Joker and his Circus changes the rules, and in order to travel around to other territories you have to pass through the circus. I don't like to bother with it myself. But you don't know about that, do you?" He frowned then, considering something.

"How long has April Season been going on?" I replied.

"Two weeks."

I was in that…place… for two weeks? But I couldn't have been running for more than a few minutes...

"But the Circus has only been here one week," Elliot offered, and I glanced at him.

"What difference does that make?"

Elliot and Blood exchanged a glance. I decided right then and there that I didn't like it when they did that. It was unnecessarily dramatic.

"When everything settled down we knew we'd traveled to the Country of Clover, and the Clock Tower was gone, but no one knew where you were, when we'd done the counting. So we assumed you were in the Tower with Monrey when the change took place."

Okay, that made sense. But what was this about the tower being gone? "What's that mean, the tower is gone?"

"The country changed—we are no longer in the Country of Hearts, but in the Country of Clover. Clover Tower is in place of the Clock Tower, and the Clock Maker moved with it. He is back in the Country of Hearts while the rest of us are here. It happens regularly. I think we were the ones who stayed behind last year…" he ended with a softer look, trying to remember.

"So what does the circus change?" I continued, trying to keep Blood on topic.

"When the circus is in town, free travel from the territories is closed and you have to pass through the circus to go to any of the other territories."

That explained why Pierce was so distressed. No one had been expecting the circus to come. "So if I want to visit anyone I have to pass through the circus? Where is it?"

Blood glanced over to Elliot, who seemed to understand the look. "Elliot can show you. I have a lot of work to do now that the change has happened, or I'd take you myself."

"Thanks," I said, and glanced over at Pierce. Quietly I asked, "Are you alright now?"

He nodded, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

"Dormouse," Blood called sharply from his desk, and Pierce jumped to attention. I stared back at Blood, ready to reprimand him, but Elliot caught my eye and shook his head. Blood, without noticing either of us, said sharply to Pierce, "Should Elliot fall, if you let any harm come to Dakota here I'll have your head. Do you understand?"

"Y-Y-Y-YES!" Pierce squeaked, "I understand!"

"Good. Now if you all will excuse me."

The five of us—Pierce, Elliot, the twins, and myself—filed out of the office. Pierce was still holding my hand—which wasn't much of an issue until the twins made it one.

"Ours, mousey," they said simultaneously as soon as the door clicked shut, pulling me away from Pierce and into an encompassing hug, with me squished between them. I sighed heavily and wriggled, making them loosen their grip. They didn't let go, though, and I saw them glaring at Pierce, who was quivering again.

"No one's," I corrected. Seriously, where did the possessive streak come from? I watched Pierce shake and internally rolled my eyes. Seriously, the kid needed to learn to calm down and stand up for himself. "Boys, let go of me."

They did, but only after I asked two more times and then threatened to never speak to them again if they didn't. Worked like a charm.

"Why do you have to go now?" Dee asked.

"Yeah," Dum continued, "you didn't stay nearly long enough last time. We missed you."

"I have to make sure everyone else knows I'm alive, too," I said. And I wanted to check on Boris. Two weeks later, he had to be doing better. Not to mention, this deal with the circus…I was curious about it, too, since it was new and I hadn't had the chance to explore it yet.

"What happened to you?" Elliot asked as we walked down the halls toward the front entrance of the mansion. "Where have you been?"

"I…was at the Tower and then after I was here." That wasn't a good start, and it showed in Elliot's face as he stared at me.

"Are you sure you didn't go through the circus?"

I nodded. "I'd remember something like that. I was in the tower and…" and so I explained what happened from trying to find my way out to running into Pierce in the forest. Elliot said nothing throughout the story, and neither did the twins, not even for when I was inside the doors. I'd never had a more attentive audience and for once didn't question it. When I finished the three looked at one another, not saying a word for a moment, strangely cooperative. They weren't telling me something, but I wasn't even sure what to ask after.

After another few moments passed, Elliot clapped his hands together, ears perking up. He smiled at me and said, "Why don't you go tomorrow? You could spend the night, I'm sure Boss wouldn't mind."

"Please, Dakota?" the twins whined. I glanced at Pierce.

"I want to go home," he said plainly, and I turned to the boys.

"I should go with him." No doubt he'd get lost again otherwise and end up crying in some dark corner if I didn't.

Elliot sighed. "Then I'll have to come with you. The forest's dangerous, and the circus is even worse."

I tried to argue that it wasn't necessary, but Elliot cut me off and said in an uncharacteristically stern voice, "Boss gave me the orders. You're not going out there alone." And that was the end of it.

The twins made me promise three times to come visit soon before we left, and threatened Pierce to not touch their onee-san again. I argued I wasn't "theirs" or anyone's but it fell on deaf ears and I wondered why I even bothered at this point. And with a few more delays—the twins latching on, Elliot yelling at them to get back to their posts—we finally left. The afternoon was still going strong, but Elliot said something about this time period ending soon and hurrying.

So we walked off into the wooded path at a brisk pace, afternoon light filtering through the fall leaves, making the air appear golden and warm. I love fall; it's my favorite season. But a cold breeze cut through my clothes, making me shiver. I wasn't dressed for this.

Soon, Pierce pointed out a door on the side of a small tree and we knew we'd entered the Forest of Doors. Elliot pulled out his gun then and said, "Stick close to me, and whatever you do don't follow the voices."

I glanced at the gun; it made me more nervous than the doors, frankly. But I said nothing; it seemed to make Elliot feel better to hold the weapon and a secure bodyguard was a smarter one. Pierce stuck close too, and so the three of us made our way down the path.

The light shifted and suddenly we were standing in twilight gloom. Elliot sighed. "Knew we shouldn't have gone out."

"Why did it suddenly get so dark?"

"Time period's over. This is a new one, that's all." He glanced at me (at least I think he did, he was kind of hard to see) and asked, "You never noticed?"

I hadn't. Frankly you don't expect time and daylight to move in random order; it made no sense. Why in the hell would I assume or even think that it would? But then I thought back to that night with Ace, how the night had just…happened, without the preamble of evening or afternoon before it.

I said nothing, and Elliot didn't comment on it any further, instead saying, "Here, hold my hand so you don't separated."

I took it and looked around. "Pierce?"

"R-r-right here," he said, about a foot away. It had gotten dark fast, and the woods made the night deeper.

"We should be close now," Elliot said. "This way." Tugging lightly he lead the way, Pierce following from close behind. Soon the night lightened, just barely, until up ahead we saw the glow of lights.

We had reached the Circus.

* * *

A/N: After listening to lots of Macklemore and Coheed & Cambria, here it is. Recently I've been reading HNKNA fics and finding it kind of funny when people bleep out Black's cursing. For instance, I keep reading 'whore' as 'wench' for whatever reason, so I think I'm going to use that in place of whore. But I digress.

Did I get the Jokers right? Did I completely mess up how the rules of Joker and Clover work?


	11. Chapter 11

11. The Circus and its Masters

This place was amazing.

Night had fallen, but it didn't matter. Strings of lights ran from the tops of the tent poles, creating a web of golden bulb light that stuck the circus in an otherworldly glow. People were everywhere, eating popcorn and cotton candy, traveling from tent to tent to look at the different exhibits. Faceless in colorful garb traveled around, crying for the next big performance, or enchanting novelty seeking towards the secrets behind the canvas doors of every smaller tent. The big tent in the center of the circus rose out above the others, striped in black and red, and the mass of people were moving toward it.

I tugged at Elliot, excitement taking over the nervousness I'd felt in the forest. "Let's go!"

He stood firm, the grip of his hand on mine keeping me in place. He didn't look happy to be here; in fact, he'd grown even tenser than before and was looking around warily. "Let's just go and get this over with," he said. "I don't want to be here any longer than we have to be."

Some of my excitement from being in a new place dimmed as I looked at him. I glanced over at Pierce, who looked equally nervous. Then again, in the time I'd known him Pierce was a nervous piece of work. But if Elliot was too…

"Alright," I said, bringing Elliot's attention back to me. "Let's find Joker."

"Are you looking for me?" came a smooth voice from behind us.

I turned around and Elliot tensed, tugging me closer to him. Pierce squeaked in fright.

I stared at the man before us—clearly a Role-Holder, because he possessed an entire face. He had dark red hair and a strange, decorative eye-patch, with a jingling jester's hat and checked apron over black pants and a short jacket. He was giving us all a welcoming, practiced smile, but when his eyes met mine the smile broadened just a touch.

"I am Joker," he introduced with a bow, eyes still on me. "Welcome to the Circus."

"Thanks," I said, hoping my voice didn't come across as nervous. "I'm Dakota Cooper."

"Dakota Cooper…" he repeated, before the smile became more friendly and he continued amiably, "How are you enjoying the circus so far?"

"Well, we just got here. We haven't had much of a chance to look around yet."

"And we aren't going to," Elliot interrupted, glaring at Joker openly. I elbowed him slightly. He ignored it and plowed on, "We're here to go to the Amusement Park."

Joker's smile never wavered, but for a moment I could have sworn it took on a cold glint as he looked toward the mafioso.

"Of course," he said. "What else would the right-hand man of the Hatter mafia be doing here? If you'll follow me." He turned and escorted us to a tent a ways into the circus compound, just past the big central tent, where fewer people were hanging around. Inside were a table and chairs, and a lamp hanging above them. There were a set of cards on the table, face down. Despite the bleakness of the space, it was intimate- and oddly quiet, as if the sounds from outside had just faded away.

"I presume you know the rules?" Joker asked Elliot, who nodded, but I interrupted.

"I don't."

Joker smiled, the coldness that he regarded toward Elliot melting into polite consideration as his gaze met mine. "Then I'll have the mouse play a game so that you will." He took a seat, gesturing at Pierce to take the one opposite him. Shuffling the cards Joker explained, "To pass from one territory to the next you have to play a card game with me. If you win, you can travel to anywhere in Wonderland you wish. If I win, you are required to perform a service for me before you can try again. Every time you wish to pass from one Territory to the next, you have to play. Sound simple enough?"

I nodded. "Sure."

"Good." He turned his attention to Pierce and asked, "What's the game?"

Elliot pulled me to the side, out of direct earshot of the Joker. Hands on my shoulders he forced me to look at him as he whispered, "Be careful, Dakota. The Joker's cruel, you shouldn't trust him."

"I don't," I said simply, and Elliot's eyebrows rose a moment before he nodded, a small smile on his face. I had just met the guy; how naïve did Elliot think I was? I barely trusted anyone here.

"Good."

"Elliot, what's the price if I lose the game? Really?" Because not for one moment did I think that this was simple. I'd been in Wonderland long enough now to know that there was always something that I wasn't being told—even if everyone had been pretty upfront with me.

He looked especially upset now, and his grip tightened on my shoulders then. "You'll end up in the prison, with the warden. You don't want to go there," he said, his hands pressing his point into my shoulders. Without meaning to I winced, and Elliot instantly lightened his touch.

"Sorry," he said, ears drooping with sincere apology.

"It's alright," I said, resting my hands atop his and pushing him off of me. His concern was touching, and it surprised me in a sense just how much it meant, even though I'd known Elliot for only a short amount of time.

"No!" I heard a cry, and Elliot and I turned our attention to the game—which Pierce just lost. Joker was grinning from ear to ear, and I watched in horror as Pierce melted away from his seat—gone, just like that.

"Next," Joker said, smiling at me.

Elliot grabbed my hand, but I shook him off, not looking back. I knew he was worried, but I'd promised Pierce.

I sat at the table, where Joker leaned back in his seat, absently shuffling the deck and his eyes not leaving me. "So you must be another foreigner. I met the other one just the other day. Lovely girl."

"Dirty minded wench," continued the Joker, though his lips had stopped moving.

I looked around sharply, then turned to stare back at Joker, who looked amused. "Are you a ventriloquist?"

"Hell no, bitch. Look around! My god, are all foreigners seriously this stupid?"

I glared at Joker. "That's not funny."

"I assure you, it is not me," he said with a close-mouthed smile, that one eye meeting me as his hands continued to shuffle the deck.

"It's your voice," I snapped, my voice biting more than I'd intended. "Whatever is it you're up to, stop it. Let's just play."

"Hmm," growled the voice that was not Joker's, "she's to the point. I like it."

Somehow that wasn't comforting.

"What's the game?" Joker asked, his hands stilling as he held the cards between his palms.

Without hesitation I replied, "Poker."

"Which one? There's five-card stud, Texas hold 'em, Blackjack…" he drifted off, letting me name the game. There was a confidence in his smile that I didn't like.

"Five-card stud," I said, meeting his eye evenly. I'm a decent player; at least, I have beginner's luck in every game I've played. This game only needed one round, right? So if my typical luck held out, than everything was going to be alright.

He shuffled the cards one last time before passing them out. I picked up my hand and focused on trying to hide the fact that I had a relatively decent hand. I needed to exchange two cards and hope for the best.

"Two," I said, and Joker dealt them. I picked them up. I had a small straight; not bad, and I could win.

He picked up his own cards, and then glanced at me, that same closed-lip smirk on his face. "Ready?"

I laid my hand down.

He nodded appreciatively. "Not bad. Not bad at all." He rested his hand open, and laid down a full house. "But not good enough."

I lost. Dammit, I lost.

And the world faded out so quickly that I barely caught Elliot's panicked shout after me.

I stood on the wrong side of a jail cell in one of the darkest places I'd ever been, and on the other side of the bars was Joker—only his clothes had changed and the grin on his face was everything but pleasant.

"She's on the wrong side of the bars."

The voice that wasn't Joker was back.

"No she's fucking not," Joker said, his face not leaving mine. "She's mine now."

My hands gripped the cold iron as I rounded on Joker, trying to control the panic that was flooding me as I stood in the cell. There was no window, only bleak greyness and a stink in the air I didn't want to identify. "What's going on?!" I cried out, my frustration reaching its peak through fear. Joker, Joker he-! "Where the hell is that voice coming from?"

The whip cracked across the bars faster than I could blink and I felt a sharp pain across my fingers. Crying out I pulled back from the bars, clutching my hand as blood seeped through my fingers.

Joker's face spread in a savage snarl and he growled at me, "Shut up, you fucking stupid foreigner. We ask the questions around here."

"What have I done?" I ask, blinking away the tears from the pain. They couldn't see that I was hurting, they couldn't—

_They?_

Joker pointed at a mask attached to his belt-I hadn't seen it before in the moments I'd stood here-and a voice said, "I am Joker and so is he. We are Joker."

"I'm the warden," said the man, "and I am the Jester," said the mask.

I stared, eyes bugging. A thought reached my head then and I could have kicked myself for forgetting.

"Where's Pierce? What have you done with him?"

"The mouse?" Joker growled. "He's in a cell down there, crying his eyes out like the little shit he is."

"You should be more worried about yourself, my dear," the voice from the mask said, his voice almost caring.

"Let me out," I said, still holding my left hand. My right one was sticky with blood but I didn't look down at it, forcing my gaze to stay on Joker.

He smiled, coming over to stand just in front of the bars. Reaching inside suddenly he grabbed hold of my chin before I could back away. "No, I think I'm going to enjoy this."

My mind was racing, trying to latch onto the first idea I could come up. I had to get out of here. I had to-_wait!_ "You said that I could do a favor and then play again. So let me do it and than we'll play." I jerked back from Joker's grip. He was grinning, his eye raking over my body.

"You'll do me a favor, huh?"

I gulped. "Yes. A favor, and then you and I will have a rematch."

* * *

A/N: Well, hi there. *dodges various rotten fruits* I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. I actually hesitated in posting this, just because this chapter seems rough to me and I want to keep some of the focus on the other Role-Holders and not just Dakota, because this story is bigger than her; or it will be if things actually come together the way I want them to. -.- Oh well. This is evolving to be _very _different from what it was before, which was much more light-hearted. I'll try to stick to keeping it light.


	12. Chapter 12

12. Not Her Day

"You have _got_ to be kidding me."

"You said a favor."

"This is just humiliating."

"You're ours to play with," reminded the mask.

"Deal with it," added the warden.

_Ugh. When I get out of here…_

I stood outside the cell, arms crossed over my chest, staring between the Warden and the piece of cloth he was holding out to me. A maid's costume. A French maid's costume with more suggestion of clothing than actual fabric. What the hell was this? Candid Camera for Deviants?

Black (for that's what he was going by, apparently, since two Jokers was impossible for a "stupid fucking foreigner to keep straight"—his words) was getting impatient and pushed the thing into my face. "Put it on or we'll do it for you."

I glared at him. "I'll clean the damn cells, but I am _not _wearing that."

He dropped his arm and growled at me. Actually _growled_. "Fine. Then you'll wear nothing at all."

I stepped back away from Black, hands coming up defensively. "Touch me and I'll break your fingers." I meant it, too.

"She's definitely a good pick for you," White murmured from the mask.

My god, these men! "Seriously?" I hissed at him, and though the mask is devoid of expression I can just _feel _the humor rolling off him in waves and it pisses me off more than I can say. "What is it with Wonderland men and your hormones? Do none of you get laid? Seriously, learn some _fucking_ manners and maybe you'd actually—"

"Is that an offer?" Black said with a savage grin, eyes roaming again.

I felt my face flush but met his gaze and snapped, "NO!"

"This has gone on quite long enough, don't you think?" White spoke from the mask. "I have work to do, after all."

Black growled and threw the costume at me. "Put it on. If you don't I'll lock you back up and forget that you're even here. I don't give a shit who you are."

Because that comment meant so much to me—they kept saying I was "theirs" but not why, but hell, what did I care? I glanced down at my hands, still stained with blood, my hand stinging with dull pain. "Can I get a bandage?" I asked, holding up my hand.

Black sneered, the look on his face almost humored. "No."

The sheer humiliation of all of this rubbed at me in the worst way. "If I do this, will you let me go?"

"Yes."

"Promise?"

"Hurry it up!" he growled and then picked up and threw a mop and bucket at me. I dodged, the bucket missing me by a foot, and glared at Black as he stalked away.

I picked up the costume, the bucket, and the mop and walked away in search of a water spout and soup, grumbling loudly and banging the bucket around so that Black could hear me.

Until he was gone from sight and his footfalls had also quieted—and then I carefully put everything down and rushed down the corridor, trying to keep quiet and step lightly. I had to find Pierce. We weren't spending another minute here if I could help it.

It wasn't hard to find him—he was in the middle of the cell block, in between two prisoners with teddy bear heads, overlarge and ripped beyond repair, who catcalled at me and said some things about my assets that aren't worth repeating.

Pierce sat in the back middle, as far from the others as he could get, and he was crying. Not that I blamed him.

"Pierce!" I hissed, trying to keep my voice down. "It's me, Dakota! Come on, we have to get out of here!"

He hiccupped and peered up at me, and his eyes widened as they met mine. "Dakota! How did you get out?" His eyes found my bloodied hands and they bugged. "What happened to your hands?"

Ignoring that last question I replied, "I tricked the Jokers, are you okay?" Okay, "tricked" is subjective here, but not the point.

He nodded, sniffing and wiping his eyes. He looked awful, but at least he wasn't chained up. He stood up and came over to the wall, and I reached out and took his hand in my uninjured one, squeezing it, trying to reassure him and myself that we were going to be okay.

"H-h-how do I g-g-get out?" he squeaked, eyes flashing between me and the prisoners on either side of him.

I whispered, trying to keep the others from hearing us, "I'm going to figure something out, okay? I'll be back as soon as I can, so just be ready to go when I do."

"What if—?!"

"Don't," I interrupted sharply, and then brought my voice back down, trying to keep calm. "You have to believe in me. I'll get us out of here."

"I'm scared," he whined.

I just nodded; I was too, but to say the words—I couldn't do that. Looking around the cell block gave me a good idea what would happen to me if I was caught trying to escape. Failure wasn't an option. "Pierce," I began, not believing that I was asking this, "do you carry a weapon like the other Role Holders?"

The mouse nodded, uncertainly.

"I need to borrow it."

He shook his head. "T-t-they took it from me. When we got caught."

Of course; it was stupid to think they wouldn't. Nothing was easy. "Where would they put it?"

"I don't know. The Warden probably has it."

I sighed. Right… "Ok. I'll be back." And before Pierce could say anything more, I was gone, running down the corridor, ignoring the calls of the inmates and looking around for Black's office.

_This is a bad idea, _my mind called to me, and I didn't care. I wasn't going to be stuck here another minute longer.

xox

Black roamed the halls, occasionally cracking the whip at the prison bars and yelling at prisoners. He collected one or two trashed toy heads, and made a mental note to have more heads made. If he remembered at the end of the day, that is.

"So she's the one, huh?"

"Must be," White said amiably. "The timing's right, and she seems as new to Wonderland as we currently are."

Black looked grimly at the blood-stained floor of a recently emptied cell. He'd need to have that cleaned. Speaking of cleaning, the wench would have to get to this section soon, right?

"It's only been ten minutes," White reminded, knowing his counterpoint's thoughts. "Be more patient."

Black's lip curled in a snarl. "Patience is for weak little wimps."

"Patience serves its purpose."

"Shut up."

White chuckled from the mask. "As you will. If you're so worried, go check up on her."

"I'm not worried," Black snapped, "I just bet she's going to try and escape."

White scoffed from the mask, dark humor filling his voice as he replied, "Like that's ever happened before."

Still, Black thought, there had been fire in those eyes. The wench would probably have the guts to try it. Not that she'd succeed, or anything. He grinned then; if he caught her, what fun would he get to have? She'd be fun to break, that one.

After all, she was _their _foreigner. They were the reason she was here at all. She practically _owed _them. Should be on her knees and everything.

Laughing at the thought as delightfully dirty things came to mind, he continued on, cracking his whip at prisoners as he went.

xox

Boris walked around the Park, rubbing at his arms, now out of its sling but still in the process of healing. It had been two weeks and no word of Dakota showing up had been heard. Gowland had tried getting news from the other territories, but hadn't had much luck—Pierce had been locked someplace else when the circus arrived and he was their usual errand mouse.

Thoughts of the mouse sent images of traps and games through Boris' head and he grinned. This year…this year he'd get the bastard.

He moved his arm wrong and pain welled up; biting his lip he rubbed at his shoulder again. He wished Dakota was here. She could distract him from the pain. He could show her the new roller coaster Gowland had just had built; it would be fun.

He bounded along the Park and out of the gate. He wanted to see her, and so he'd find her himself. Injured, recovering shoulder be damned.

xox

I found the water spout and washed my hands, trying to rub the dried blood and inspect the damage. The cold water stung and I bit my lip to stop from making any noise. Damn it, damn it, damn it all! Drying my hands against my shirt I looked at it again and cursed; it stung like hell. It was definitely going to scar—a long gash across my knuckles and the top of my hand.

_Good luck explaining that one when you get home, _I thought dryly.

I stilled. Home.

My chest ached as I thought of my brothers, my aunt, my mom and dad…they had no idea where I was. They had to be worried sick. …At least I hoped they were.

Shaking my head and wiping my eyes—"Damn dust, no wonder they wanted a maid,"—I turned off the spout.

Glancing around I tried to take stock of the prison. The walls were tall and painted dark grey, lending to the dingy, soul-sucking atmosphere of the place. What windows there were were placed high up and barred, and there was nothing underneath them to be used as footholds. So those were out of the question—even if I could climb them, there was no guarantee Pierce and I would be able to break the bars to get outside.

_So, windows are a no-go_.

Grabbing the mop and filling the bucket only partly, I ignored the jeering calls of the prisoners as I walked along the blocks. If I ran into Joker I had to at least _look_ like I was doing something. The catcalls, though unwelcome, would probably help corroborate the story. At least that's what I told myself as I listened to the fifth comment about my ass in less than a minute.

Joker's office was at the farthest end of the prison, on a second story and up a pair of rickety stairs that jarred and rattled with every step. Setting the mop and bucket down I tried the door. Surprise, surprise: it was locked. I stepped back, looking at the doormat beneath my feet and bending down to check underneath.

Damn; Joker wasn't entirely stupid. _Stupid, hell, he's fucking terrifying._ "No, there's gotta…" I muttered. Every moment that passed was a moment he could step around the corner and find me…and he'd know what I was up to and oh god what the hell was I doing here—

I slapped my cheeks with both hands, my hand stinging more than my skin. I straightened my feet. There had to be a spare around here. If it came down to it, I'd smash the window in the door and break in that way—and hope that Joker was far away enough to not hear the noise.

Feeling around the edges of the door and then the steps at the top of the stairwell I cursed again. This was taking too much time.

xox

Boris walked slower and slower as he came to the center of the forest, the whispers from the doors that decorated the dense wood creeping him out.

_Man, I hate this place, _he thought, and shivered, the hair on the back of his neck raising. Soon other sounds joined those of the whispering wood and his step quickened; he wanted to get the hell out of here.

Golden bulb light started fifty feet out from the entrance to the Circus and he ran for it, pushing people out of the way as he approached the center.

Where was the Joker? He needed that bastard _right now._

"Well, well, another Role-Holder? Two in one day; I feel so special."

The Cheshire whipped around and saw the grinning Jester, arms crossed as he regarded the cat before him. The hairs on Boris' neck stiffened and he felt the tail hairs bristle. If he could have his back would have been arched as well; the man gave him the creeps.

"I just want to cross over to the Tower."

The smile spread marginally. "Whatever for?"

"None of your business," Boris hissed, pulling out the revolver and leveling it at Joker's head. The redhead didn't even blink.

"Put that away before you shoot your eye out," Joker chided, his voice cool. "Follow me if you want to play." And without another moment he turned and walked off, leaving Boris no choice but to lower the gun and follow him.

The crowd parted as the two walked, clearly sensing Boris' tension. Joker stopped by a small tent and opened the canvas flap, gesturing at Boris to step in. He flicked his tail as he passed the man and flipped the jester's hat off. The bells stilled with a thud as they hit the ground. Glancing back Boris grinned at the annoyed tick on the redhead's face before the man schooled his features, picking up the hat and brushing it off.

The flap closed behind him, blocking all sound out from the outside. Boris glanced at the table and the deck of cards.

"This is the first time you've played, yes?" Joker said, taking a seat and picking up the deck, shuffling them as he stared at Boris.

"No," the cat muttered. "I played last year."

"Then you remember the rules," Joker continued. "It's nice when I don't have to explain things. It's why foreigners are so tiresome."

Boris frowned, still standing. "Alice was here too?"

Joker shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. I can't really keep them all straight."

Boris' frown deepened. Joker continued to shuffle; the silence stretched for a while until the Joker kicked at the chair opposite him. "Sit. Do you want to play or not?"

Boris stepped forward—and then cocked the gun, finger resting outside the trigger as the end of the barrel rested on Joker's head.

The redhead's hands stilled and he slowly looked up at Boris, not impressed. "You and I both know you won't do it."

"And why not?" Boris hissed. "I don't want to play your stupid game. Send me to the Tower."

"Or what? You'll blow my head off?" He snorted softly. "Don't be an idiot. Do that and you definitely won't be able to go."

Boris stilled; Joker grinned knowingly.

"Besides, think of how sad she'll be when she finds out she can't go home because the cat screwed it up for her."

Boris frowned, and his hand shifted. Joker's lip lifted to all-knowing smirk and Boris grit his teeth, showing sharp canines. "What have you done with Alice?"

"Whoever said anything about Alice?"

"The bitch we got is a lot more fun," came the voice from the mask, and Boris glared hatefully down at it. "Better assets if you know what I mean."

Boris' mind flashed and he grabbed at Joker's collar, bringing the man forward as he glared down. "What have you done with Dakota?"

The Joker, who'd looked startled for a moment from the sudden grab, suddenly formed his lips in an "O" and then grinned. "I see," he said softly, "Explains some things."

"What did you do?!" Boris snarled.

"Nothing," Joker replied amiably. "She played and she lost. She is where all the losers go, that's all. She'll serve her time and then she'll be able to come back and you two can go fuck someplace else. I don't really care one way or another."

Boris pressed the end of the gun into Joker's temple and hissed, "I'll do it. You're replaceable."

"Fine then," Joker said calmly, eyes cold and all traces of a smile gone. "Do it." Joker set the cards down and rose to his feet, now staring down at Boris. The cat still had a grip on his collar and the gun pressed to him, but it didn't seem to bother him. "But just remember that if you do, it'll take a little while for that replacement to be found, and get a handle on all of his responsibilities. I'd say by the time they get the hang of things, Dakota will have starved to death."

Boris practically deflated before Joker's eyes and he fought to hide the grin. Instead he reached up and pulled Boris' hand off his collar, pushing the cat away and straightening his clothes. Boris' hand lowered and the gun disappeared. Gesturing at the seat, Joker spread his lips in closed-mouth smile and said, "Play a game with me, Cheshire?"

* * *

A/N: Am I evil or am I evil? :D I want to take a quick moment to thank the reviewers on the last chapter-one in particular was very encouraging to keep me on the path I'm going with this, and it inspired me to type out a few more chapters. I don't know how long the inspiration will last, but thank you. You know who you are. To all the readers and reviewers and followers, you guys are the best. Just thought you should know.


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